


Outfoxed

by Skymerald



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Akuma Possession, Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng Fluff, Chloé Bourgeois Being Chloé Bourgeois, Literal Fox Alya, Loads and Loads and LOADS of Akumas, Marichat, Trixx gone Rogue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-03
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-06-01 17:14:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 60,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15147971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skymerald/pseuds/Skymerald
Summary: A dangerous new akuma with fearsome powers is loose in Paris, one who has somehow broken the shackles of Hawk Moth's control. Desperate to find it, Hawk Moth has increased the amount of akumas to a level even Ladybug and Chat Noir struggle to keep up with. And Chat Noir already has enough on his plate; for reasons unknown, he can't transform back into Adrien. Time is ticking as they race to find this elusive foe and solve the mystery of Chat's dilemma before disaster strikes.





	1. Bonds of Trust

“Good morning, class!”

A chorus of replies brightened the smile on Miss Bustier’s face, the teacher bringing her hands together in a show of excitement. “I’ve got something fun planned for you today,” she began once the class had grown quiet. “We’re going to learn about various mythological creatures from folklore.”

Interested murmurs spread through the room.

“Boooooring,” Chloé complained, one hand hovering over her mouth as she yawned. “Who cares about things that didn’t exist then, don’t exist now, and won’t ever exist?”

“Just because you think it’s boring doesn’t mean the rest of us do,” Alix quipped. She was presently scowling at the back of Chloé’s head, knowing the blonde couldn’t see her. “I agree with Alix. I find such stories highly interesting,” Max piped up, adjusting his glasses as he looked at their teacher. “There are lots of morals we can learn from them even in this era.”

Miss Bustier’s smile grew. “Yes, exactly that Max. I thought it would make for an exciting project for us to delve into. Many cultures have their beliefs and customs tied in to such stories, most involving creatures unique to each one.”

A loud beep suddenly sounded from the computer on her desk. Strolling over to it, Miss Bustier’s face fell as she read the message before she straightened up and faced the class. “I must step out for a few minutes, so our discussion will be postponed - briefly,” she said, tone warding against any attempts to sneak out. “Marinette, as class representative, I leave you in charge.”

She left the room, door closing behind her with a faint snick.

“What kind of creatures do you think Miss Bustier is gonna talk about?” Rose said into the silence that followed. “Nothing scary I hope!”

“Obviously something cool, like that Bigfoot from America,” Kim replied with a laugh. Several voices immediately chimed in with disdain for that idea, a lively discussion ensuing shortly afterwards.

Alya shook her head with a rueful smile before turning in her seat to look at her best friend, who had put her head on her arms and sighed into them. A quick prod was enough to jolt Marinette back to wakefulness, blue eyes bleary from an obvious lack of sleep. “Did you sleep at all last night?” Alya asked, concern colouring her voice.

Marinette shrugged. “A little. I had a hard time falling asleep, and by the time I did, my alarm was already going off.”

It wasn’t a complete lie - after an extremely dicey encounter with another akuma, Marinette arrived home an hour before sunrise and went to crash, only to wake up what felt like minutes later. Her duties as Ladybug were starting to wear her down, and it was just a matter of time before she started dozing openly in class, something even a sweet, understanding teacher like Miss Bustier would frown upon.

Deciding to change the subject before Alya could press her on it, Marinette pasted a smile on her face. “Back to the question Rose asked - are there any creatures you want to hear about?”

“Girl, don’t brush me off so quick,” Alya said with a snort and look that said she’d be bringing it up again later. “But I’ll cut you some slack for now. I heard there’s tales of foxes in Japanese folklore, so I figured I’d ask Miss Bustier about them when she gets back.”

Marinette had to physically fight a grin at this, knowing precisely why Alya was intrigued.

“You mean kitsunes?” Adrien said, overhearing. He and Nino had been speaking quietly despite the chatter behind them, and now both boys were facing them upon catching the tail end of their conversation. Marinette felt her cheeks warm, but was spared having to speak by Alya affirming Adrien’s query.

“They’re supposed to be shape-shifting pranksters, but that’s all I know about them,” Adrien admitted with a sheepish laugh. “I’m sure Miss Bustier will be able to tell us more.”

His attention switched to Marinette, lingering on her long enough that she was amazed her face hadn’t turned ten shades of red. “I meant to ask, did your father like the present you made for him?” Adrien inquired. He was referring to the night she’d snuck out to buy materials for the aforementioned gift, having encountered her on the train and, following a whirlwind night involving an akuma attack, had escorted her to the store afterwards. It had happened a few weeks prior, but the memory was all but burned into her mind. Especially the part where he’d held her hand as they’d walked the streets.

Before Marinette could muster up enough nerve for a reply, Chloé appeared just behind Adrien to wrap her arms around him in a tight hug. “Adrikiiiiins!” she cooed. “You’re not getting into this silly stuff, are you?”

Adrien frowned, easing out of her near death grip. “It’s not really that silly,” he started to say before Chloé waved her hands dismissively. “It totally is! Who believes in made-up stories for babies anymore?” she said.

“I wish you were made-up,” Marinette mumbled under her breath.

Alya erupted into a giggle fit she tried fruitlessly to stifle while Chloé, and by extension Sabrina, glared daggers at them both. Even Nino was trying to hide his amusement by way of a suspiciously convenient cough.

Chloé opened her mouth to speak, but whatever she was going to say was interrupted by shrieks from outside. The class as a whole hurried over to the windows, only to jump back in collective shock as something monstrously large reared up to peer inside at them with a single, fierce yellow eye. It blinked once, then vanished from sight as the thing it belonged to climbed up to the roof of the school, the ceiling above the classroom groaning ominously under the unexpected weight.

More cries of panic became audible from inside the school itself, and the rest of the class was scarcely any better. “Is it another akuma?” Rose cried, huddling close to Juleka. “What are we going to do?”

Eyes turned towards Marinette, who belatedly remembered Miss Bustier’s parting words. She looked up at the ceiling, fighting back a wave of alarm as cracks slowly began to appear as the monster’s weight continued exerting strain on the roof. “First thing’s first, we need to get out of here - now!” she snapped out, herding her frightened classmates out the door - Chloe in the lead, of course.

“I’m totally calling Daddy!” Chloé gasped, fumbling anxiously for her phone.

“Now? Really? When there’s some huge monster literally sitting on top of our school!?” Alya asked incredulously. “What is complaining to your father going to achieve?”

“No, let her call,” Marinette said, lifting a hand to forestall the protests that would have followed. She turned to look at Chloé, who’d paused with her phone halfway to her ear sporting a look of shock identical to Alya’s. “Call him, and have him get us to La Grand Paris where we’ll be safer. It was wise of you to think ahead!” Marinette continued cheerfully. Alya was currently staring at her like she’d grown an extra head, but Marinette could see Chloé internally squirming. Her intentions had been selfish, probably, but it had offered two benefits for Marinette - putting her on the spot, yet also offering safe harbor for her friends while she slipped away to face the whatever-foot problem currently perched above their heads.

Chloé sighed before switching on a smile that was more of a grimace. “Oh, yes. That’s so what I meant to do. Now if you’ll excuse me...” she subsided into annoyed grumbling as she walked away to make the call.

They were still in the hallway outside the class, but had slowly migrated towards the stairs, peering cautiously beyond the railing to check for the monster. It was eerily quiet, beyond a few snarls and swipes at unseen helicopters that involved claws dragged across the roof, emitting a noise that left them all wincing.

“Where’s Miss Bustier?” Nathaniel asked timidly, after the noise had died off. “And the rest of the teachers?”

It was a valid question to raise. And it brought up an unfortunate thought, that perhaps the teaching staff couldn’t come to their rescue because of the monster. Had it trapped them somewhere?

“I think a better question is where Ladybug and Chat Noir are,” Alya said. “It’s kind of hard to miss a giant monster on top of a school.”

Marinette was spared further anguish spurred by that question by Chloé returning from across the hallway, her blue eyes stormy. “Daddy sent a limo to pick all of us up,” she said, making an obvious effort not to scowl at having to extend such a generosity foisted upon her. “If the seriously lame-o monster movie reject doesn’t grab us for snacks first.”

Deciding the best course of action was to just make a run for it, the class took a moment to rally their nerves. 

“Nice job strong-arming Chloé into helping out for once,” Alya whispered as she moved to stand next to her. Marinette smiled nervously, glad she didn’t have to say anything back, because she did not trust her voice to remain steady. As long as Alya and her friends were safe, she’d have an easier time handling the situation as her superhero self.

Kim and Ivan waved everyone to the stairs, the brief reprieve over - it was now or never to run for the doors. The rest of the school had either barricaded themselves in or fled, and the courtyard was empty, a blessing and curse both. “No matter what, just run for it,” Kim said. “I’ll go last, if anyone falls behind.” He was their best runner, a sure bet for evading havoc-wreaking monsters.

There was no countdown, all of them just running with a single-minded focus to reach the doors and out to the safety of the limo, and eventually the hotel. As they reached the sunshine, a howl split the air when the creature sighted them. It dropped down mere inches away from Marinette, who had deliberately attempted to lag behind, cutting off Kim in the process.

Kim collided with the creature’s back leg, stumbling back with a dazed expression. Now that it was in the light, the monster appeared... vaguely canine. A collar, tinted dark purple and bearing a tag of some sort, hung around its neck under black fur grown long and shaggy. Floppy ears lent it a nearly comical look, even paired with bright yellow eyes and sharp teeth bared in a snarl. All this offered an interesting picture; had Hawk Moth managed to akumatize someone’s pet?

Marinette, who’d stumbled and fallen from the akuma monster’s jarring impact with the ground, heard Alya shouting from the door in the brief instant before Nino ushered her through, face distraught. Upsetting as it was to let Alya believe she’d be left behind, it was the moment she was looking for - provided the monster left her alone. She rose onto her knees, freezing as she registered hot breath on the back of her neck and a snuffling sound. Drool dripped down onto Marinette’s shoulder, courtesy of the dog creature’s half-parted jaws, and it took everything she had to keep a fearful whimper lodged in her throat.

Abruptly, the hot breath was gone, following an irritated yelp. Marinette looked back, seeing Kim wielding a small armful of stones he was presently pelting at the monster. “Go!” Kim shouted at her, backing away to draw the monster’s attention.

Not wasting any more time, Marinette was on her feet and dashing towards the doors, hurriedly checking over her shoulder to ensure Kim was still preoccupied enough to not notice her dipping out of sight. He’d sacrificed his chance to escape to help her, and she had to act quick to repay the favour. “We don’t have much time Tikki,” Marinette said while opening her clasp to let the kwami out. “Spots on!”

\--

Chloé’s grip on his arm was deceptively strong, Adrien groaning inwardly as he was dragged along to unwilling freedom. He couldn’t exactly sneak off with her clinging to him, nor with his classmates all but huddled together for safety.

A sleek white limo waited for them at curb, driver holding open the doors with a bored expression despite the situation at hand. He then looked up, eyes widening. It was the only warning they got as something huge and hairy landed on top of the limo, nearly identical to the monster currently inside the school. “Wha... there’s more of them?” Chloé shrieked.

In shape and general appearance, it was virtually the same - this monster, however, sported blonde-coloured fur and vibrant blue eyes. Almost... human, really. “It’s a werewolf!” Mylène blurted out from her spot behind Ivan’s protective bulk. “Don’t let it bite you!”

“Who cares what it is? I’m outta here!” Chloé exclaimed, thankfully forgetting to grab hold of Adrien again as she fled from the scene, Sabrina hot on her heels.

“Wait a m-minute,” Rose stammered. “Where are Kim and Marinette?”

Alya’s expression said enough, everyone turning to look back at the doors that remained firmly closed. “No...” Rose whispered, voice cracking. “If it is a werewolf...” She couldn’t bring herself to finish, burying her face into Juleka’s shoulder, who wrapped a comforting arm around the petite blonde. “I’m sure they’ll be out in a second,” Nino said, eyes flicking from Alya to the doors and back again. He sounded confident enough despite the worry written clearly on his face. Adrien felt an unexpected pang, hoping Marinette and Kim were fine, only delayed a little by the monster blocking their way. Just because they hadn’t emerged yet didn’t mean the worst had happened.

“Um... I hate to even say this, but I think Chloé’s right. We should get out of here while we can,” Alix ventured, breaking the uncomfortable silence. The werewolf perched atop the limo was watching them all with an intent, calculating gaze - this was no mindless beast, and it wouldn’t wait forever.

The could-be werewolf’s head turned every which way as the rest of Adrien’s class scattered, unable to decide who to chase. The limo driver, picking himself up from the ground after diving to avoid the monster’s stylish arrival, became the unfortunate scapegoat that gave Adrien enough cover to find somewhere to quickly transform. Barely in the nick of time - the school doors burst open with a loud bang, breaking off their hinges. Two monsters emerged, one with dark fur, and the other bearing a pattern very much like Kim’s hair: black all over and sporting a blonde tuft just between its ears.

There was no third creature following them with Marinette’s unique hair colour. Adrien, now powered up as Chat Noir, felt his anxiety spike. If she wasn’t one of the monsters, what had happened to her?

Chat Noir made a nimble jump to the top of a lamp post and whistled sharply, the three monsters turning to look at him in unison. “What are you naughty puppies doing off your leashes?” he teased, keeping his pose utterly relaxed as they split apart to come at him from different directions. “This kitty isn’t scared of some overgrown puffballs!”

One beast made a sudden jump towards him, jaws opened wide. “I thought the phrase was dog-eat-dog world, not dog-eat-Chat Noir!” He evaded it with contemptuous ease, catching the next beast pouncing with his baton and sent it flying into the first. But the third monster, the one with yellow eyes, ignored him entirely to chase down the limo driver, who for some reason had chosen the worst hiding spot imaginable and only now realized his error.

Ladybug was there between one blink of the eye and the next, deftly tossing her yo-yo and tripping up the monster with its string long enough for the driver to make a proper escape.

“Whew, I’m glad you showed up milady. I wasn’t sure I’d get through that without using up some of my nine lives,” Chat said with a feline smile. She returned that smile easily, though it was marred by one brow lifted in disbelief. “Oh, I’m sorry. Were those mean old puppies bothering you?” she replied.

“Throw me a bone here,” Chat muttered, perking up at a stifled laugh from his beloved lady. Any further verbal jousting would have to wait as the beasts regrouped to corner the two heroes. The yellow-eyed one surprised them by tossing its head back and emitting a short howl, drawing two more monsters from nearby rooftops to drop down to the street.

“While I’d like to not bend my pride and admit we may not be strong enough to handle this many monsters,” Chat began, backing up with Ladybug. “I think we might need an extra pair of hands. A certain fox comes to mind.”

It was a good point to raise. Had this akuma not possessed the power to create others, then maybe between the two of them it would have been fine. Rena Rogue’s illusions could be helpful in rounding up any strays for whatever her Lucky Charm required them to do. Ladybug glanced towards her partner, meeting his gaze. He nodded. “I’ll be quick,” she said. “Promise me you’ll be careful.”

Something in her tone got through to him, as he passed over a typical confident boast to smile and bow to her. “Don’t keep me waiting too long, bugaboo.”

She hurled her yo-yo into the air, swinging away under a cloudless blue sky.

\--

Alya peeked out the doorway of the building she’d chosen to transform back in, watching Ladybug disappearing into the distance. Trixx rested on her shoulder, eyes partially closed from fatigue. “It was so much fun working with you again Alya!” the kwami said in a cheerful voice, grinning up at her. “We’re great partners huh?”

She felt her heart contract. Ladybug had found her at the hotel with the others, a decision she and Nino had made once they were far enough away from the school, and drawn her away to ask for her help. She’d agreed at once, eager to fight alongside her favourite superhero again, as well as protect her friends in the process. The werewolf-esque akuma had wound up being a medium-sized dog that the three heroes suspected was a lonely pet that somehow attracted Hawk Moth’s attention.

“It could be another situation similar to the one with the giant baby,” Ladybug had theorized. “Hawk Moth seized an opportunity to akumatize something, but wasn’t fully able to control it, since it’s an animal.” The baby’s young age had been quite the obstacle for the supervillain to direct after the two heroes.

“Look how sweet it is,” Rena Rogue cooed, scratching the dog under the chin to its tail-wagging delight. “It just wanted attention.” The tag on its collar, proclaiming the dog’s name as Remi, also listed an address on the back that Chat Noir confirmed was from a ritzy part of Paris.

He parted ways with them after that, his ring beeping in warning. Ladybug’s earrings made a similar noise, eyes worried as she looked at Rena. “I know I’m asking a lot of you,” Ladybug said. “But this situation isn’t very flexible. Will you give me your word that you’ll return your Miraculous to me tomorrow?”

Rena hesitated. She understood enough - if Ladybug took Remi back to its owner, she wouldn’t be able to come back for the Miraculous before transforming. And Rena was on the verge of powering down too.

And yet... and yet, she so badly wanted to keep it. A selfish wish, but Ladybug had come to her again for help, slowly building a trust Rena wasn’t ready to break no matter how much she longed to keep the Miraculous. There wasn’t enough time to really think things over, so Rena agreed, giving Ladybug her home address.

A strange smile crossed the heroine’s face, one Rena couldn’t puzzle out a reason for. “Thank you. Come here Remi, I’ll get you home safely,” Ladybug said, turning away to scoop up the dog in her arms.

Trixx appeared content as Alya explained that staying with her was temporary, and eagerly explored her room after she’d made her way home. Alya sat down on the edge of her bed, peering at a text message on her phone from Marinette.

“Who is that?” the kwami asked as he floated over, pointing a paw at the small bubble displaying Marinette’s picture.

“My best friend, Marinette. She vanished during the akuma attack earlier and I was just making sure she was okay,” Alya replied. Marinette said that Kim had distracted the akuma long enough for her to escape, and even found where the teachers had been - they’d locked themselves in a room for safety, unable to get back out.

Trixx’s expression became thoughtful as he stared at Marinette’s message. “You really care about your friends huh?” he remarked as Alya began sending a text to Nino. Her sweet boyfriend was understandably worried about her sudden disappearance from the hotel, and several texts and missed calls had resulted from that.

“Yes. That’s why I’m glad Ladybug showed up earlier. Protecting them all is a feeling like no other,” Alya said, smiling. She was only slightly paying attention to the conversation while adding several heart emojis to her text.

“Even more reason for you to keep the Miraculous!” Trixx said. “It’d be so much easier to protect them when you don’t need to wait for Ladybug to decide if your help is needed. Think of how much less stressful it’d be if you could respond to akumas before things get bad.” The fox spirit’s purple eyes were bright with hope, grin earnest. Trixx was really quite adorable without meaning to be.

How could she say no to him, in the face of his logic to boot?

“You’re savvy enough to keep being a hero and a regular person balanced. Someone like you has the makings of a great superhero, just like Ladybug. Being more like her is one thing you’d love the most, right?” Trixx continued. “So when she shows up tomorrow, be firm, but don’t be too rude either, and--”

“I can’t.”

This silenced the kwami mid-speech. Trixx’s ears and tails drooped as he hovered just in front of her, looking forlorn. “Why not?” he asked quietly.

Alya sent her text and put the phone down, wringing her hands. “Ladybug trusted me enough to step up when she needed me. And I promised her that I’d return this pendant when she was in a bad spot. What would she think of me when I suddenly decide otherwise?” Alya sighed, a sad sound. “It would ruin that trust. Ladybug is the last person I want to lose faith in me.” It was one of the more difficult decisions she’d made.

She met Trixx’s eyes, unprepared for the light dimming within them before the kwami turned away. “I’m sorry, Trixx,” Alya whispered, turning her phone off and crawling under her blankets. The fox spirit watched her until Alya’s breathing evened out into that of sleep, floating over to gaze out the window at the vibrant night sky.

Even though he’d tried his hardest to convince the girl, one he saw so much potential in, she’d stubbornly remained certain Ladybug wouldn’t be happy. Knowing their parting was so close, with no sure bet they’d be reunited again, left Trixx utterly miserable, slumping down on the window frame with a soundless keen of grief.

It didn’t surprise the kwami when a dark butterfly landed nearby just after the sun began to rise.

\--

Alya yawned hugely, sitting up in bed upon being woken up for school by her mother. She heard her twin sisters already being cheerfully noisy just outside her ajar door, preparing herself for their whirlwind of energy as she swung her legs off the bed and stood up to stretch.

Something drew her attention to the Miraculous resting in its box, and she found herself walking over to touch the glossy surface without really meaning to. She sighed, finding her steadfast stance on returning it wavering.

“No, girl. Ladybug will be coming to look for it in the afternoon,” Alya said out loud. She turned away, resolute in her choice.

Her hand was on the door knob when a powerful sensation flooded through her. It was as if the Miraculous had become a siren song tuned just to her. Unable to resist, Alya walked back to the box and lifted the pendant out, putting it around her neck.

Everything faded to black as an evil laugh rang out from within her own mind.

\--

Marinette was anxious for the school day to end, and it didn’t go unnoticed. Alya laughed as Marinette alternated between tapping her pencil repeatedly against the desk and chewing the end of it. “You got plans for a hot date or something?” her best friend asked with an arched brow, causing her to splutter wildly.

“W-what? No!” she blurted, mortified. Nino coughed a few times, hiding laughter, only subsiding when he peeked round and caught Marinette glaring at the back of his head.

“Today just felt like it was dragging, you know? I mean, yesterday was crazy, but compared to that, it just...” Marinette trailed off, waving her hands. She desperately wanted to go get the Fox Miraculous and return it to Master Fu, lest anything bad befall it or Alya. Not something she could confess out loud.

The rest of the class ranged from indifference in the lesson to outright boredom, Kim and Ivan engaged in an epic paper airplane war that Miss Mendeleiev was somehow oblivious to, even though several crumpled planes littered the floor around their desks. When the bell rang, there was an eager scrambling towards the door, the teacher reminding them in a strident voice about their homework. 

“You two wanna join me and Adrien for some good pizza? My treat!” Nino asked Marinette and Alya. Adrien grinned at the two girls, making Marinette feel even worse that she had to turn down the offer. No matter how tempting, the Fox Miraculous was more important. “Sorry sweetie, I’m busy too. I was roped into babysitting the terrible twin terrors,” Alya responded, flashing an apologetic smile. “Maybe we can have a raincheck on that offer?”

Marinette breathed a secret sigh of relief. She trusted Alya to keep her promise, of course, but there was always one part of her prepared for the worst.

“No problemo. Looks like it’s just you and me huh?” Nino said, putting a friendly arm around Adrien’s shoulders. Alya patted Adrien’s other shoulder as she walked by, telling the guys to have fun, and walked out with Marinette just behind her.

\--

Marinette waved goodbye to her friend and hurried the short distance home, greeting her parents before excusing herself on grounds of homework to their approving nods. It didn’t take long to dump her bag, transform, and slip out of the skylight window. She dawdled as long as she could to give Alya time to get home and wait for her, knocking on the window she knew belonged to her upon hearing the bedroom door close.

Alya let her in with a sunny smile. “Nice to see you again, Ladybug!”

“Likewise,” Ladybug responded. “Thanks again for helping the other day. But you understand returning the Miraculous is just so it stays out of the wrong hands.”

“Of course,” Alya said. “Just give me a minute to grab it. Had to be creative where I hid it - my sisters are real mischievous.”

She left the room, Ladybug chuckling as the aforementioned siblings emitted high-pitched squeals of delight upon seeing their older sister. Several minutes passed, long enough for Ladybug to grow worried, a feeling exacerbated when Alya returned bearing empty hands and an ashen face.

“It’s not where I hid it,” Alya said in a terrified voice. “Ladybug, I swear, I totally didn’t mean to lose it--” She cut off abruptly, biting her lower lip.

“N-no. It’s okay. Walk me through what you remember from last night,” Ladybug coaxed, feeling oddly calm despite her mounting horror. Any number of things could have happened to it, but she couldn’t let Alya realize the gravity of the situation.

“Okay.” Alya sat on the bed, running a hand through her hair. “After I got back home, I came straight to my room and left the box under my pillow. Ate dinner, read a textbook, and then talked to Trixx before I went to sleep.” She lifted the pillow up to reveal nothing underneath and shot a quick look at Ladybug, as if afraid to be thought a liar.

“You spoke to Trixx?” Ladybug asked. “What did you talk about?” It wasn’t necessarily strange for Alya to have conversed with the kwami; she and Tikki did so on a daily basis. “Oh, well... he really wanted me to keep the Miraculous a little longer. But I didn’t want you to think I was going back on my word, and told him so. He seemed really dejected,” Alya replied, a strange look in her eyes as she spoke.

Ladybug frowned; something was amiss, but pinpointing what was difficult. “That’s the last time you remember seeing him, and the pendant?” she pressed, desperate for anything to go on. “I’m sorry,” her friend said in a voice that quavered. A film of tears was visible in her eyes, and Ladybug couldn’t resist drawing Alya into a comforting hug. “We’ll figure it out,” she reassured the sniffling girl. Alya’s arms came up to return the hug, a hand brushing close to Ladybug’s ear.

“I’m sorry,” Alya repeated before she grabbed hold of one earring, her embrace turning to crushing between one heartbeat and the next.

Stunned, Ladybug was almost too slow to react, finding the strength to pull her head away from grasping fingers that were mere seconds from loosening the earring entirely. Alya made an inhuman noise of irritation as Ladybug wriggled loose and shoved her back, eyes glowing a strange shade of purple.

Light filled the room, her best friend vanishing with it. The light reformed itself into a big, snarling fox with a lashing tail, and those same unusual eyes. Bigger than its wild brethren but not too different in appearance, sporting typical russet red fur and black paws. Only its eyes and ears were markedly changed, the latter sporting thin black tips.

“What did you do to Alya!?” Ladybug gasped out. The fox’s mouth turned up at the corners in a definite smirk. “Possessed her,” it responded. “And it is entirely your fault, Ladybug.”

It advanced towards her, Ladybug backing up closer to the window - if it came down to a fight, such close quarters had the makings of disaster. “Alya idolized you so much that it blinded her to the chance of a lifetime, where she could be a hero just like you,” the fox rumbled in a displeased tone. “The only difference being she could decide when, rather than you deciding for her. And yet she only thought about you, how keeping the Miraculous might upset you. That, in turn, upset _me_.”

She couldn’t have been more surprised had pigs flown by the window. There was no other explanation for everything than Trixx somehow becoming akumatized, the logistics of which were a blindside Ladybug had been woefully unprepared for. Master Fu had to be alerted, immediately.

“When Hawk Moth made his offer, I leapt at it. Taking you and your Miraculous out of the equation for differing reasons, but the end goal being the same? Easy. And now you’ll pay the price,” Trixx continued, muscles bunching all at once.

His pounce was lightning fast, paws catching her in the shoulders. Momentum saw them carried out the open window, Ladybug lassoing a nearby awning to prevent an unpleasant collision with the pavement several stories below. Trixx landed on top of a car, severely denting the roof and shattering glass from the impact.

He looked upwards, teeth bared in a feral smile. “I’m not going to be an ordinary foe. Sure, I don’t have the raw strength to best you, but kitsunes have other... tricks in their arsenal. Be prepared for games like you’ve never experienced before, because after I’m through, you’ll be handing your Miraculous over of your own accord.”

Plenty of akumas had made boasts to her and Chat Noir, but somehow this one came across more ominous. Maybe it was the sincere feeling of resentment the akumatized Trixx bore towards her.

“You don’t scare me,” Ladybug said, struggling to find her confidence. Trixx had control of Alya and could exploit that weakness with frightening ease if the thought occurred to him. “Chat Noir and I haven’t been bested yet - we’ll defeat you too.”

“Don’t worry. I have plans for that annoying cat as well. Time to pay him a visit,” Trixx laughed, a powerful leap seeing him to the top of the nearest building. He moved with supernatural speed, just a bit too fast for Ladybug to keep pace. The kitsune evaded her attempts to halt his foray across half of Paris, until he descended into a crowded street where, to Ladybug’s dismay, a news crew was filming.

The camera was on Trixx and his pursuer as they did battle, broadcast live; the perfect bait to draw whoever lay behind Chat Noir’s mask. Trixx revealed an unexpected power a few minutes into their showdown, hurling small, fiery blue orbs to further escalate the panic already seizing the citizens who’d gathered nearby. None of these orbs struck any people, Trixx deliberately minding where he directed them. It was all a show, and it worked. Within ten minutes of setting up, Chat Noir dropped in, using his staff to block another will-o-wisp as it sped towards Ladybug.

“Nice and on time,” Trixx drawled.

“What can I say? Cat naps are easy to fall victim to,” Chat replied easily, switching his gaze to his partner. “Care to fill me in, milady?”

“Long story short - we’re down the Fox Miraculous,” Ladybug said, jerking her chin in Trixx’s direction. Chat’s green eyes went wide with shock, smile dropping from his face. “You’ll give me the full story later, right?” he said, lowering his voice. She nodded grimly.

Trixx watched them with an amused smirk, tail twitching at the tip. “You both think you have me bested, now that you’re paired up again. Wrong. I brought you along, Chat Noir, so I wouldn’t have to repeat myself. So listen, and listen well,” the kitsune rumbled. “Trust nothing. Mine is the power of illusions, and what you see may not be what you actually see at all.” The kitsune’s image faltered, flickering at the edges like a television with poor reception. Another Trixx appeared next to it, several more joining them to form an imposing ring around the two heroes.

They were swarmed a heartbeat later, fighting furiously against the massing kitsune copies that somehow possessed physical forms. It was likely a strange quirk of Trixx’s power being altered by whatever gift Hawk Moth had lent him through the akuma. Through the ensuing fight, Trixx’s voice sounded out from everywhere and nowhere, cajoling them into giving their Miraculouses before things got a lot worse.

“I can’t use my Cataclysm,” Chat said between breaths as he thwacked another kitsune copy across the muzzle. “It’s too risky.” Hurting the Fox Miraculous with the power of destruction was something neither hero wanted.

What went unsaid was the suggestion of using her Lucky Charm, in a situation that appeared hopeless otherwise. “Keep them off of me?” she asked, yo-yo in hand. Chat demonstrated his excellent fighting skills to parry off the copies as she called upon her own power, the Lucky Charm forming into a plush turtle that she easily caught out of the air. The design was instantly familiar to her, an obvious clue to what she had to do next. But getting away from Trixx was a feat unto itself.

“Bugaboo?” Chat prompted.

“We can’t win this fight tonight. Trust me on this one, okay? I need to talk to someone who knows more about the Miraculouses than I do,” she whispered back. “And stop calling me that.”

Chat sighed. Ladybug hated keeping him out of the loop, but this situation was too dire to allow for personal feelings on the matter. “You’re right. I do trust you, milady. No matter what that akuma says,” he said after a moment.

\--

Had their foe been an akuma like any other, he may not have let her have her way this easily. The secrecy was a slow kind of acid drip on the bonds of trust that, left unchecked, would weaken before collapsing entirely. But this was, apparently, the Fox Miraculous, a foe way beyond the likes of what they’d fought before.

Ladybug having an acquaintance with knowledge of the Miraculous left no room to argue if they wanted to get the Fox Miraculous back unharmed and out of Hawk Moth’s grasp.

“Thanks, kitty. I appreciate the vote of confidence,” she said, managing to flash him a grateful smile that he felt all the way down to his bones. “Let’s get out of here for now.” It took skillful maneuvering and dodging, and several long minutes to shake off the copies that followed after them, but the superhero pair eventually found a safe spot to rest up.

“I don’t know how long it’ll take to learn what we need to defeat Trixx,” Ladybug said as they paused to catch their breath.

“How about I come and wait here each night?” Chat suggested, looking around. “When you do have the information, you’ll know where to find me.”

It wasn’t far from where he knew Marinette lived, the building they stood on facing her parent’s bakery. She took a minute to also scan the area, cupping her chin thoughtfully with her free hand, the other still clutching the plush turtle. “This spot works. But if Trixx can use illusions, we should be cautious. We can have a question only the other knows the answer to, so we’ll know we’re talking to the real deal,” she said with a burst of inspiration.

Chat puffed his chest out and grinned, flexing his arms for good measure. “I am the real deal - you can touch to make sure,” he all but purred. Ladybug rolled her eyes, though she was smiling. ( _One day, bugaboo._ )

“The question I’ll ask is what my favourite nickname is for you,” Chat offered.

“Which one? You run through so many I’ve lost count.” Was that a teasing note in her voice?

“Bugaboo,” he cooed. Another eye roll. “I’ll ask what my favourite nickname for you is too. Just so it’s easier for both of us,” Ladybug said. He perked up hearing this, curiosity rising. She didn’t indulge in his habit of little pet names often, so whatever her answer would be was going to be interesting. “ _Chaton_ ,” she eventually said, the name sending fizzy little bubbles through his veins. One day, he vowed, she’d be just as playful verbally jousting as he was with her. And that would be the day he knew the chase to win her heart was truly on.

“Don’t read too much into it, kitty. I’ll see you around.”

She took her leave after that, disappearing into the evening sky.

Chat stared off into the distance, belatedly realizing she hadn’t explained the situation to him like she’d promised. That didn’t bode well for how to handle an akuma that was still loose in Paris, with trickery being its strong suit and no way to tell what it was planning next. But there wasn’t anything to do about all this now, and he made his way back to the Agreste manor, dropping stealthily into his room to transform back.

The transformation failed.

He stared at himself, still suited up, and said clearly, “Claws in.”

Nothing.

Panic threatened to overwhelm him, but he had to stay calm. No, he had to leave - his father would not be amused to find Chat Noir in his son’s room, with no son in sight. Yet where could he go, at this hour no less?

“Arghhh!” He stifled the groan quickly before Nathalie or his father somehow heard it. Chat couldn’t fathom the slightest reason why he wasn’t able to return to his civilian self, even in light of the akuma’s powers. Its illusions were strong - powerful enough to block a transformation powered by actual magic, he was doubtful about.

His mind flashed back to the fight with the kitsune copies. No matter which way he looked at it, however, gave him any more insight. Nothing he could grasp on his own; he needed Ladybug as a sounding board. And there was no telling just how soon they'd be meeting up again.

For now, all he could do was leave.

Chat returned to the window he’d come in from, looking over his shoulder at his room with a wistful expression. How would his father take him essentially vanishing into thin air? Leaving a note was out of the question; it’d only make things worse. ( _He’d probably think I was kidnapped if I did that..._ )

There was one person he could go to that might help, even for one day. After that... well, he’d have to take his chances.

He shook his head and leapt into the night.


	2. Fear Not this Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hawk Moth discovers more about his powerful new ally in his quest to acquire the Miraculous, but smooth sailing quickly becomes rough seas. Meanwhile, Chat Noir seeks out comfort and help from a friend in his time of need.

For someone who thrived on nurturing negative emotions, it was strangely difficult to sort through them all. Every day there was a constant stream of it from throughout Paris, running the gamut from petty slights to teenage mood swings and then some. Seeking out the darker, more genuine emotions that made perfect vessels for his akumas was a task Hawk Moth had yet to refine to perfection.

Heartbreak. Crushing despair. Scorching, unrelenting fury. Pure, unfiltered grief.

He’d gotten better at finding these threads and isolating them, but only when the emotions had reached their peak. The one that ‘pinged’ against his senses that morning was one of the most powerful ones yet - a sign he, in his foolishness, assumed fell into that category. Not until later would Hawk Moth find out what an unexpected gold mine he’d struck with this particular akumatization.

At that moment, the depth of grief that reached him from across the city was piercing in quality, bringing a smile to his face. Sending another akuma out so soon after the last hadn’t been in his plans, but he wasn’t going to pass up an opportunity like this.

The instant his akuma had landed and taken hold, Hawk Moth gleaned the reason for that mixture of potent grief and, yes, an underlying layer of anger - and felt his smile grow. A kindred soul with a grudge against Ladybug, how perfect a tool to wield in her downfall.

That was when he had also realized the magnitude of power already possessed by this unknown being. All the better for dealing with the two pests who’d thwarted him soundly thus far, Hawk Moth mused. “Kitsune,” the villain intoned. “I am Hawk Moth. You and I have a lot in common, when it comes to Ladybug.”

 _‘Really?’_ replied the stranger, almost sarcastically. _‘In what way?’_

“Our goals align, you see. I need her Miraculous. You want her out of the picture entirely, do you not? This partnership is beneficial for both of us.”

_‘And what can you offer me that I don’t already have?’_

One hand tightened imperceptibly on the top of his cane. It wasn’t often Hawk Moth encountered potential akuma victims who questioned him like this, before they’d accepted his bargain.

“I sense you’re already quite powerful, but my offer is this - I augment what you naturally possess, so you can more easily handle both Ladybug and Chat Noir. They’re more dangerous together than they are alone - where she goes, he is sure to follow.”

Silence as this offer was considered. Then, _‘I accept. Ladybug will be no more when I’m through with her.’_

“Excellent. Kitsune, I do believe we’ll be great partners in this venture,” Hawk Moth proclaimed, already feeling triumphant. This was no ordinary person. “Remember this bargain stands for retrieving both Miraculous. Only Ladybug’s will not do.” He didn’t voice a direct threat, but the implication was there in tone, though he doubted Kitsune was going to turn him down regardless of conditions.

 _‘I have plans for him too. Don’t fret.’_ The connection thinned out to background noise in Hawk Moth’s mind, the villain leaving his akuma to stretch out its figurative wings.

Later that night, when he’d returned from his civilian duties, Hawk Moth felt a flash of irritation, chased quickly by surprise. His akuma had failed to acquire the Miraculouses, yet... it still remained. Why had Ladybug not purified it? Opening the telepathic connection between them, he demanded an explanation from Kitsune.

A minute elapsed before the akuma finally responded. _‘They escaped me.’_

“How? You shouldn’t have let them get away so easily!”

_‘I did not expect them to flee, but it doesn’t matter. I have plans to set in motion, plans that require a careful touch.’_

Hawk Moth had to take a breath to reign in his anger. Such a lackadaisical approach to taking down the two heroes did not sit well with him, used to more direct engagements with the supervillains he empowered. “You can’t wait for them to come to you, Kitsune. They’re too clever to fall for traps, physical or not.”

_‘When have your previous ‘partners’ achieved better results by charging at them head on? Operating on that sort of mentality will not get you their Miraculouses, only more failures. Let me plan this out.’_

Reminding Hawk Moth of all his failures thus far was a mistake Kitsune would regret making. “It seems you need a reminder who the one in charge is,” he said through gritted teeth, reaching through their telepathic bond. Using pain to keep his akumas focused worked to correct unwanted behaviour, such as deviating from the goal to acquire the Miraculous. Even with Kitsune’s considerable natural power, it was essential he taught this akuma that he did not tolerate being disrespected.

But when he tried to make purchase against the akuma’s mind, he ran into a solid mental shield that easily rebuffed him. ( _Impossible._ )

Smug laughter rang out in his head. _‘You think you can control a being like me, Hawk Moth? Let me show YOU who the real power is here. I appreciate the boost, but I think I prefer to operate solo from now on.’_ The connection grew steadily thinner, until it finally winked out entirely, leaving Hawk Moth completely stunned.

No akuma had ever broken the connection he held with them, with such ease. Whatever Kitsune truly was... Hawk Moth held a hand over his mouth. No human ever held such power. It had to be one of the other Miraculouses that existed somewhere in the city, the Fox Miraculous. He knew of Rena Rouge, but to have managed to akumatize, if not her, then the Miraculous itself was nothing short of a miracle.

And now such a priceless asset was loose in Paris, free of his control.

He had to wrest back that control no matter the cost, even if it meant sending out more than one akuma in a day. Losing a Miraculous, though not one of the two he desired most, was one failure he would not permit.

Cursing his foolishness, Hawk Moth opened his empathic senses to sift through the turbulent emotional sea for just the right targets.

\--

Chat Noir, perched a short distance away in the darkness, watched in amusement as a familiar face crumpled up a bit of paper and angrily dropped it to the floor next to her seat. The paper joined several other scrunched up pieces, softly lit by the glow of the lights strung up around the balcony. He’d meant to announce his presence sooner rather than later, but he was fascinated observing her sketching away studiously, displaying a talent she rarely spoke about.

That was simply who Marinette was though. Humble and not prone to bragging often, if at all.

The night air had grown cool and refreshing, paired with a cloudless, star-studded sky to marvel at. Chat wasn’t too worried about being cold, thanks to his suit, but there were other comforts he couldn’t ignore - food, for one thing. He’d come to Marinette because she knew Chat Noir, trusted him, and wouldn’t ask too many questions. That - and because of her inherently kind nature. It was something both sides of him were drawn to.

Well, no better time than now to make his presence known, before she turned in for the night. A quick jump saw him over most of the balcony, landing cat quiet on the railing, a small gasp sounding out from behind. “Chat Noir? W-what are you doing here?” Marinette asked, scrambling to snatch up the paper bits she’d strewn about. She didn’t look too flustered, merely curious.

Chat turned round and sat facing her, grinning to hide his uneasiness. Explaining that he was unable to power down wasn’t something he’d thought of before venturing out. “It’s a lovely night, and while I was on patrol I saw you out here. Got curious when I saw you were drawing something,” he said, ramping up the charm just a little as he leaned towards her. “Can I see?”

She clutched the sketchpad closer to her body, but her smile was playful. “No. Haven’t you heard the phrase ‘curiosity got the cat’?”

Feigning hurt, he fisted a hand over his chest. “You wound me,” Chat mock cried. “I came out all this way for this?”

“Cut the theatrics, you silly kitty,” Marinette said, poking him in the arm. “What’s actually wrong? As flattering as it is to think it was just for me...” She trailed off. Those eyes saw too much, Chat thought. He sighed, pondering how to phrase his explanation without giving away crucial details that might reveal his true identity.

He glanced at her face, feeling the tension ease by small degrees from how sincere she was in her concern. “You’re right. There is a problem - a big one,” Chat said. “I think I might be stuck this way.”

“A chivalrous flirt armed with non-stop puns? I see how you might think that’s a problem,” Marinette said dryly. He barked out a laugh at the unexpected humorous quip. “Again with the wounding. I’m trying to be serious,” Chat chuckled. “I do mean stuck, literally.” He gestured at himself, relieved when she seemed to understand how serious the situation truly was.

“So... you can’t... I mean, you’re not able to turn back into--?” she said slowly, puzzled. Then she shook her head. “Gah. You know this already.”

Marinette paced her balcony, as if moving around would help sort out her thoughts. After a short moment she looked back at him and asked, “Is there anything I can do to help you?”

If he’d been relieved before, it was a mere trickle compared to the avalanche that crashed through him. “Er, if it’s not too much to ask, could I get some food? I’m starved,” Chat said, stomach rumbling audibly, as if on cue. Marinette hid a smile. “Of course! Did you want... uh, well, did you want to wait in my room?” she asked politely, even though it was clear the idea made her squirm. Was there something she didn’t want him to see?

“No, I’ll be okay out here,” Chat said to spare her. “Thanks, purrincess.”

“I’ll be back in a few minutes!” she said gratefully, opening the skylight window and disappearing from view. Chat leaned against the balcony railing, thoughts wandering now that he was alone for the moment. His instinct to go to her had been right on the money, but he hoped it didn’t seem like he was trespassing on her kindness because he had nowhere else to go. _Strange how you gravitated to her first,_ said a small voice in the back of his mind. _There are a few other people you could have gone to._

She’s a friend, Chat firmly told the voice. Seeing her as anything more felt tantamount to betraying his true lady love. And, yet, he did have to question why. Saying it was merely because she was his friend didn’t seem like the whole truth.

The skylight window opened again, Marinette carefully stepping out with platter of food precariously balanced in her hands. She still managed to trip, yelping, but Chat’s quick reflexes saved both the food and her dignity. Steadying the girl and her burden, the feline hero grinned at the savory aroma wafting up from the plate. “Mmm, is that pasta I smell?” he asked in a pleading tone. “Please tell me it is!”

“Leftovers from the other night,” Marinette answered, cheeks still pink from her clumsiness. “Unless you want Marinette’s Half-Burnt-Omelette-and-Kitchen special.”

“Oh?” he inquired as he sat down right on the floor to eagerly dig in. She laughed, launching into a small story about trying out her hand at cooking solo, where disaster had struck quickly and without mercy. Lamenting her failure, she put a humorous spin on it regardless, perhaps for his sake. “I thought my parents would be so mad, but they just laughed too, and helped me clean it all up,” Marinette finished, affection for her parents clear in every word. He couldn’t help feel a pang of envy.

“I’m surprised you didn’t bring me any pastries,” Chat remarked, setting down the now spotless plate. “Since your parents own a bakery and all.” He picked up the glass of milk she’d brought with the food and gulped some down.

“If you end up staying here, I can’t feed you on just pastries and bread. That’s so bad for you,” Marinette protested. “I mean, think what it’d do to your waistline.”

It took a considerable effort to refrain from making a joke. “Too bad. I heard your parent’s macaroons are ‘divine’,” Chat sighed. He finished off the milk and set the glass down to find Marinette watching him with steady eyes, an unspoken question in them. “What? Do I have a milk mustache or something?”

She shook her head, pigtails bouncing from the motion. “I was just wondering why you opened up to me about your transformation problem. Why not talk to Ladybug?” Marinette asked. “N-not that I’m saying I didn’t want you to tell me, or anything!”

“Nah, it’s fine purrincess. I get why you asked,” he said, smiling to reassure her. “She’s busy with something pretty important, and I don’t know when I’ll see her again. I know we’ve not spent too much time together, but I get the feeling you’re someone I can trust to keep this a secret. If the wrong ears heard it...” He trailed off. Hawk Moth, or more recently the corrupted Miraculous, would have a field day with his current condition. But bottling it all up with no outlet held no appeal for someone who’d finally started learning to confide in his friends.

Marinette’s cheeks had gone pink again when Chat looked back at her, leaving him wondering if he’d said the wrong thing. “I’m... glad you think so highly of me,” she said in a hushed tone. “I’ll keep your secret. I doubt Ladybug would be too happy if something happened to you.”

The comfortable silence between them was interrupted by a short beep that emanated from Marinette’s pocket, the girl taking out her phone and grumbling. “Oh, you’ve probably got school in the morning right?” Chat asked, trying to sound casual. Thinking about what his absence would do to not only his friends, but his father too... it was tough to imagine.

“Yeah,” Marinette said. “I’ve not had the best sleep schedule lately so I set an alarm to go to bed at a reasonable time.” She tucked her phone back in her pocket before grabbing the empty platter and glass. “Do you have anywhere to stay for the night?” It was easy enough to hear the offer extended to him, and while very tempting, he could sense she was embarrassed.

Chat thought back to when she’d gone to grab the food, her antsy behaviour about inviting him in. “I don’t, but I could always just sleep up here. No one would see me.”

“Won’t you be cold?”

“This suit is fine - keeps me cozy. I wouldn’t say no to a pillow, though,” he said, half-jokingly. Marinette returned a few minutes later with two pillows, and a blanket, sternly insisting he used it. “I’ll bring you some breakfast before I go to school,” she said as he stretched out. “And when I get back, we can figure out somewhere more comfortable for you to lay low.”

“That eager to be rid of me, hmm?” Chat teased.

She giggled. “Not at all. You’re good company, kitty. But I’m sure you’d rather not hang out here alone while I’m at school and you’re not doing the whole saving Paris thing,” she said. There was a certain wisdom to her words he couldn’t ignore, so he acquiesced.

“Good night, Chat Noir.”

“Good night princess. Sweet dreams.”

He caught a faint glimpse of her parting smile before she disappeared into her room, his only company now the starry night sky above his head. ( _You’re good company, kitty._ ) The thought warmed him more than the blanket, and kept all the crushing dread at bay to allow him to slip into dreamless sleep.

\--

Marinette woke up to her alarm, feeling more refreshed than any other morning the past week. It didn’t take long for her to roll out of bed and head downstairs, greeted by the enticing smell of pancakes. A plate for her already sat on the counter, three pancakes topped with a small heap of blueberries and drizzled lightly in syrup. “Good morning, sunshine!” her mother said cheerfully, embracing her daughter with a warm hug. “Nice to see you not scrambling out the door today.”

“I didn’t stay up too late maman,” Marinette laughed, looking over at the stove. “Could I get a couple more? Gotta keep up my energy for school.” Her mother smiled and added a few more to the plate Marinette held out, the girl stopping to give her mother a quick, affectionate kiss on the cheek before nonchalantly walking back up to her room.

Knocking on the skylight, Marinette waited until she heard a light tap before pushing it open and seeing an adorably rumpled Chat Noir waiting for her. His face lit up, but whether it was at the sight of her or the food she couldn’t say.

“Morning, kitty cat,” she said, offering him a fork she’d pocketed while her mother wasn’t looking. “Sleep well?”

“Morning, princess. And yes, somehow I did,” he replied, one hand surreptitiously smoothing down his bedhead hair as he used the one wielding the fork to spear a bit of food. His green eyes seemed a bit sad, and more than a little wistful, as he inquired about the school day still ahead of her. “Most kids my age would love a day off of school,” she remarked, rolling a blueberry around on the now mostly clear plate.

There was no hiding the sadness in that gaze now. “Not for me. I’ll miss my friends more than anything,” he said. Then those eyes brightened, mouth curving in just the barest hint of a grin. “I’ll miss you too.”

“ _Kitty._ ” Marinette refused to meet his eyes, but she found herself grinning anyways. “You can stay in my room until I get back from school, if you like. It’s not a mess, I promise,” she said. Quietly tidying her room to take down a few photos of Adrien, but not all of them, had been accomplished before she’d actually gone to sleep. “If you do, you have to agree to some rules.”

“Rules?” Chat said, making a face. “This isn’t camp. But, fine. What are they?”

“First - absolutely no snooping through my stuff. Second - don’t go downstairs. If my parents saw you...” Marinette repressed a shudder. Hiding someone in her room, especially Chat Noir? They’d ground her. Forever. And then she’d never be able to maybe one day go on a cutesy date with Adrien. “But you don’t have to stay.”

Chat plucked the lone blueberry off the plate and ate it before replying. “I’ll behave. I’d like to keep my nine lives intact,” he said with a crooked smile that, unexpectedly, hit her right in the heart. Spending this much time with Chat Noir, seeing beyond what he wanted people to see... it was dangerous in its own right. Coupled with the fact she’d turned him down as Ladybug, Marinette knew getting her feelings all tangled up right now wouldn’t bode well for either of them.

Wrenching her thoughts back under control, Marinette hastily snatched the plate and fork from his grasp and stood up. “I’ll see you after class!” she said over her shoulder to a laughing comment from him, hurriedly gathering her belongings. She was out the doors to school with five minutes to spare, sliding into her seat right as Miss Bustier entered the classroom.

The seat next to her was empty, a terrible reminder of what had happened last night stealing the last dredges of happiness. Nino was also alone, and he looked back at her with a slight shrug, as if to say he didn’t know where Adrien was.

“Today, class, we’re picking up where we left off the other day, with our discussion about creatures in folktales,” Miss Bustier began. Across the aisle, Marinette heard Chloé sigh, then turn to Sabrina as the teacher turned to write something on a whiteboard she’d wheeled in. “Jagged Stone left on tour last night, which is, like, a total bummer,” the blonde was saying to Sabrina, the other girl listening reverently. “It was mega awesome being able to go up to his hotel suite whenever I wanted to, and he even played me special songs...”

Marinette rolled her eyes. Then she sat up straight. The hotel... of course! It was the best place for Chat Noir to hide out. Her eyes drifted over Chloé before she faced the front of the room, excitement temporarily pushing aside the bleak despair she’d been feeling.

Chloé was a huge fan of Ladybug - she wouldn’t possibly turn down a request if it came straight from LB’s mouth, right?

\--

The school day over, Marinette waited for the locker room to clear out before transforming, making her way home and dropping into her room from the skylight, startling Chat out of a light catnap.

He immediately told her about his situation, and ended off by asking if she had any good news on leads about the akumatized Miraculous. “Sorry, Chat Noir, I haven’t talked to them yet,” Ladybug said, referring to her ‘source’ of information, being Master Fu. “But I was planning to, after I tell you a great idea I just got. What do you think about staying at _La Grand Paris_ until we sort you out?”

“The Bourgeois place?” Chat said, frowning in befuddlement. “Do you really think they’d let a superhero stay there and NOT blab to the news about it?”

“Remember Chloé? The owner’s daughter? She likes me. I can probably talk her into it. Just leave the little details to me,” she said, while thinking how pulling this off was going to be rather difficult. She hadn’t thought at all about the possibility of Chloe bragging about one of Paris’ superhero pair taking up temporary residence. 

Chat blew out a faint sigh. “I’ll roll with it, I guess. Marinette will understand,” he said, looking around the room with a fond smile. “Just let me leave her a note so she doesn’t think something bad happened to make me leave.” He found a spare bit of paper, left over from her failed sketching session the night before, and hastily scribbled a few words on it before leaving it on her desk in plain sight.

It was sweet that he was worried enough to make such a gesture. Ladybug exited first, checking to see that the coast was clear so both of them could leave without evoking too much suspicion. Several minutes passed before they arrived at the luxury hotel, both heroes landing on the rooftop.

To her relief, Chloé was stretched out in a chair by the pool, which she leapt up from with an undignified shriek of delight. “Ladybug!” Chloé exclaimed, rushing towards her to wrap her in a tight hug. “And even Chat Noir, too! This day just got SO much better! I can’t wait to tell everyone about this.” She released Ladybug to hurry over to her seat and snatch up her phone, hands already flying over the screen.

Ladybug, following her over, put one restraining arm on Chloé’s. “I’m glad you’re so happy to see us both, but we need your help with something... top secret,” she said in a conspiratorial whisper, leaning in close. Chloé’s blue eyes went wide, mouth agape, before she closed it and nodded energetically. “Secret?” she replied in an awed tone, pantomiming a zipper over her face. “My lips are so, like, sealed. Anything for you, Ladybug!”

Her eagerness was endearing, in a way. And while she didn’t like Chloé much, it was commendable that she wanted to make herself helpful to her favourite hero, enough to disregard her own desire to brag. (We’ll see how long that lasts, though.)

“Anything for me? Funny you should say that,” Ladybug said. “If you have any spare rooms, Chat Noir would appreciate one just for himself. But you can’t tell anyone that he’s here.”

“Done,” Chloé replied instantly. She looked over at Chat, who was politely feigning interest in anything that wasn’t their conversation. “Can I ask why?”

Ladybug hesitated. “Top-secret, remember? But you’ll be a BIG help to us both,” she said again, adding a smile to seal the deal. Chloé, thankfully, didn’t ask anything more. She instead walked over to Chat and put a hand on his arm, guiding him towards the doors. “Will you be coming around again, Ladybug?” Chloe called out over her shoulder, almost pleading.

“You bet,” Ladybug said, winking at the pair. Chat flashed her an appreciative grin, the look sliding away as Chloé began chattering at a speed and volume that would put song birds to shame. Turning away, Ladybug looked out over Paris, grabbing her yo-yo to start the long trek to Master Fu’s home. But as she put one foot on the balcony railing, Chloé’s voice rang out from behind her. “WAIT!”

Stifling a flash of annoyance, Ladybug spun around to see Chloé at the doors with a panicked expression. “Come see this! It’s UBER important!” the girl said breathlessly. Ladybug entered the room after her, walking over to stand next to a stunned looking Chat and still panicky Chloé. They were watching the wide-screen television that dominated one wall, currently tuned to a breaking news report from Nadja Chamack.

“For those tuning in, Paris is in a state of crisis as not one, not two, but three akumas have been spotted around the city,” Nadja was saying, her pale face replaced by video clips sent in from viewers. One showed a person who more closely resembled a flower, directing vines to flip cars and create general mayhem. Another clip revealed a huge man, apparently made of some kind of metal, shrugging off police attempts to stop him as his skin turned away all shots.

The last clip was a shaky, blurry mess, but the two heroes didn’t need any more evidence, exchanging horrified looks.

“We have unconfirmed reports that these akumas are not all just mindlessly causing chaos, but possibly looking for something. If Ladybug and Chat Noir are watching, please, be careful. But Paris needs your help, desperately.”

“Do you think...” Chat trailed off, with a glance at Chloé. He mouthed over the girl’s head, ‘ _You think they’re after Trixx?_ ’ Ladybug nodded once, then put a reassuring hand on Chloé’s shoulder. The girl was clearly shaken by what she'd seen. “We’ll take care of the akumas, don’t worry. Just stay here where it’s safe. I’m counting on you to look after Chat Noir when he gets back,” Ladybug said her best soothing voice.

Chloé looked at her, tension easing from her shoulders and some of the fear leaving her eyes. She took a deep breath, as if to rally her spirit. “Right. I’ll be fine. You two go kick some akuma butt for me.”

They left after that, both gripped with a single-minded focus that left no room for any other thought - to save their beloved Paris, and find out what Hawk Moth was up to.

\--

He leaned heavily on the cane, breath coming out in short gasps. Before transforming, he’d taken Nooroo aside and point blank asked the kwami about the consequences of multiple akumas active at the same time.

“Theoretically, you could have any number at once,” the butterfly kwami said. “But when you use the Miraculous to bestow powers, it takes some of that directly from you.” Nooroo’s voice quivered slightly. He was looking up with concern clear in his eyes. “Why do you want to know?”

“Never you mind! What will it do to me if I send out more?”

The harshness of his voice made Nooroo cower. “Too many and you’ll tax yourself beyond what’s healthy. To the point where you’d...” Nooroo couldn’t continue, his entire body drooping. The implication was strikingly clear. It was a dire reminder that, for all his strength, even he had limits. But he had to do whatever it took to get the Fox Miraculous in his grasp, and out of the hands of the Guardian he knew resided somewhere in the city.

Throw in tiring out Ladybug and Chat Noir to the mix, and it was a plan that sounded all the better. A cruel smile settled on his face before he transformed into Hawk Moth, window to his secret abode opening wide. The soon-to-be-akumatized targets were picked, and he relished what sweet chaos was about to unfurl. As long as they hunted down Kitsune, he could care less about what else these akumas did.

“The game is on, Ladybug and Chat Noir. And I intend to win.”


	3. Depths of the Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After dealing with the three active akumas, Chat Noir returns to spend time with Marinette, their bond slowly growing. Marinette later seeks out Master Fu for answers, but she may not like what she hears...

“Hold on, chaton. There’s a problem.”

“No, bugaboo, there’s three very big purr-oblems,” Chat Noir replied, gesturing widely. One would be hard pressed to ignore the chaos stirred up by multiple akumas active at once.

Ladybug pinched the bridge of her nose between two fingers. “No. I mean how am I going to purify them all? I can’t transform back repeatedly after each one.”

“Not unless you want to show me who you really are,” her partner said with a sly grin sent her way. “And about a quarter of Paris. We’ll just need one of those metal sticks that wipes people’s memories and, what do you know, problem solved!”

“You watch way too many movies,” Ladybug laughed.

Nothing really said she couldn’t transform between each fight if she used her Lucky Charm to defeat each one, other than time being a critical factor as she waited to power back up. Restoring Tikki’s energy was not something to be rushed.

Chat Noir knelt down to prod at a vine twined round a bicycle hastily abandoned by its former rider. “We could always try to get them all together,” he said as he straightened back up. “At least, we’re pretty sure they’re looking for Trixx, so they’re not rampaging throughout all of Paris.” It wasn’t a half-bad idea, Ladybug thought as she recalled their brief rooftop observation. The three akuma were in the same relative area, just spread out. Battling all three at once, however, drastically upped the stakes.

“You’ve got to be absolutely sure,” she said to the feline hero. “One mistake and it could cost both of us dearly.”

“I’m stuck like this, milady,” Chat patiently reminded her. “I don’t have much to lose, other than pride. But I’ve got that in spades.” He puffed out his chest with some swagger. “You, on the other paw...”

His gaze was full of worry well earned.

As the one who could purify the akumas, it painted a big target on her back. But she wasn’t Ladybug for nothing, to shy away when things got rough. “I’ll be fine. I’ve got the best partner in all of Paris watching my back,” Ladybug said with a confident smile, playfully flicking the bell under Chat’s chin as she walked by. She didn’t need to turn around to imagine what look was on his face after that.

“Since you’re the one who suggested it, chaton, how are we going to bring them to one place?”

His answering grin was pure cat. “Funny you should ask...”

\--

Chat’s plan was simple enough, and with the help of some civilians with smartphones, the stage was set for battle.

A clip sent in to the nightly news, broadcast live, was the bait.

"If you akumas are listening, we'll save you the trouble of finding us - we're waiting for you on Avenue Montaigne. The meowre, the merrier! Or you can be cowards and find the nearest rock to crawl under and hide, which I wouldn't blame ya for doing. I wouldn't want my butt kicked six different ways on the news either."

The camera panned over to a smirking Ladybug. "Don't keep us waiting too long! I've got some homework and tasty dinner I'd much rather be tending to."

"Dinner with me, of course!"

_"CHAT."_

-

It was quiet for a while, until...

“OH! How dare you squash my precious flora you walking soup can!”

“It’s not my fault your dumb plants keep getting in my way, ‘La Floraison’! What are your powers even good for, aggravating their allergies?”

“Bit rich coming from someone called ‘Metallurgy’.”

The two superheroes exchanged looks of surprise. This was new - akumas arguing amongst themselves? “I guess Hawk Moth bit off more than he could chew sending out so many,” Ladybug murmured. “All the better if they aren’t co-operating to team up against us.”

Both akumas continued bickering as they finally drew into sight - one a slender person with pea-green skin and a robe that looked like the closed petals of a flower glaring up at a tall and broad-shouldered man whose skin possessed a bright metallic blue sheen. Flowers seemed to be growing in the wake of the first, a trail of which was seen stretched out behind them, many of them squashed by the ‘walking soup can’.

“Where’s the third one?” Chat Noir pondered, and got his answer a moment later as the last akuma literally oozed out of a nearby alleyway.

There wasn’t much to be visibly seen of... whatever IT was, as a dark mist enveloping most of its body kept it hidden. What could be seen made her skin crawl, evoking every horrible feeling that made her so fearful of monster movies. “Ewww!” Ladybug shuddered. “How are we supposed to guess what that thing’s akuma is in?”

“My guess goes for that.” Chat pointed at a movie theater film reel grasped by one taloned hand.

She repressed another shiver of disgust and stepped forwards with Chat, rapidly twirling her yo-yo around to ready herself for the fight about to ensue. “Looking for us?”

Three sets of eyes (or more - who knew how many eyes the icky akuma had under all that mist) snapped to them, arguments temporarily shelved. “Nice of you to all show up in one place,” Chat Noir said cheerfully. “Now we can put the petal to the metal!”

Silence.

“Oh come on, that was actually funny!” Chat protested.

“Take him out first,” the two akumas agreed.

\--

Avenue Montaigne scarcely looked like itself after all three akuma were dealt with, shattered glass liberally coating the sidewalks already strewn with crushed cars, street lights and hundreds of flower petals blowing in the gentle breeze. Even the buildings had taken quite a hit, as the third akuma revealed a surprise shape-shifting power that had let it assume the form of famous movie monsters, including one with very powerful breath.

But this also ended up being an unexpected asset, fouling the other two akuma long enough for their akumatized objects to be snatched and thus broken.

“Miraculous Ladybug!”

Her power restored the battered surroundings to their pristine glory, people slowly coming out of hiding to profess their gratitude to the hero pair. Earrings giving off a warning beep, Ladybug graciously excused herself from the growing crowd to make her escape, Chat Noir not too far behind.

“Wait! Before you go, I need to ask you something important,” Chat said as they made it half way back to the hotel. She hesitated, but he wouldn’t have stopped her if it really wasn’t important.

Keen green eyes searched her own. “How did you know where to find me earlier today?”

_Oh. Oh no._

In her excitement to tell him her idea about the hotel, she’d forgotten entirely about that little detail. But with her about to transform back, and her own horror at slipping up so badly, there was no simple explanation to wave it off. “A little birdie told me?”

“Was that birdie named ‘Marinette’, by any chance?”

Ladybug’s answering smile was strained. “Yes. But I can explain later, chaton. I’m out of time. I’ll see you when I get some more answers!” 

It should have been a relief to escape his scrutiny. So why did she feel a tight ache in her chest instead? Landing on her balcony, she scrambled through the skylight with seconds to spare before she was Marinette again, hands cupped together to catch Tikki as her kwami tiredly floated down into them.

“I messed up, Tikki. How could I be so careless?” she groaned.

“You’ll be fine. Just tell him that you’ve heard of him being seen with Marinette before and asked her for help,” Tikki replied, yawning. “Do you have any cookies?”

Marinette cautiously proceeded downstairs, tiptoeing through the living room while keeping her ears strained for any sounds. Her attempt at stealth was proven moot upon reaching the fridge, where a short note in her mother’s elegant hand awaited.

“Heehee, I guess papa felt like being spontaneous,” Marinette said to Tikki while her kwami happily munched on a chocolate chip cookie. “They went out to dinner and a movie.” She’d texted them after school, fibbing about going over to Alya’s for a school project. ( _But I didn’t think once about what I’d do if they caught me up here without having seen me walk in the front door... I’m so off my game today._ )

She returned to her room, chewing a second cookie swiped for herself before her eyes landed on the note Chat had left on her desk.

_‘Purrincess!_

_I’ve upgraded to a cat tower thanks to LB. But keep your eyes on the night skies - this stray may come back for a little affection - petting optional ;) Didn’t want you to worry about my disappurrance. Stay safe cherie ~_

_\- Chat Noir’_

His handwriting was a messy scrawl, but she could feel the sincerity behind each word. The ache in her chest eased up just a little as her smile deepened. Even with a cheesy pun, he was still good at lifting her spirits when she needed it most.

“’Cherie?’” Tikki repeated as she read. “Now if only you could act the way you did to make Chat Noir say THAT around Adrien!”

“You’re so not helping!”

Marinette chased the kwami around for a minute, both of them laughing until they were breathless with it. With everything going on, a moment of levity was a gift to treasure and keep close. Tickling a giggling Tikki, Marinette nearly missed the familiar sound that rang out from above her head.

_Thump._

Both girl and kwami went still. Then Marinette’s face lit up in a way Tikki rarely saw for anyone who wasn’t Adrien. “He came back,” the dark-haired girl said in hushed tones, scrambling so quickly towards her skylight that Tikki almost missed zooming to safety in Marinette’s jacket.

She pushed open the skylight.

\--

Confused was a nice word for how he was currently feeling. He’d spent the smallest window of time in the hotel before politely telling Chloé he was heading out to patrol, only to have his route somehow bring him within range of Marinette’s place. There was only some indescribable tug to visit her again, one he couldn’t put a claw on.

When he’d drawn close to her building, he could see a soft light shining through the skylight window; a beacon in the lonely night.

Two minutes after Chat Noir dropped onto her balcony, the skylight opened with a faint creak just behind him. “I thought I heard you,” Marinette said as she stood next to him, taking in the night air with a sigh.

“I couldn’t resist - your parent’s cooking, that is. Got any more for a hungry stray?” Chat teased.

“Do you think I feed all the superheroes who come knocking at my door?”

“Technically, it wasn’t your door. Nor did I knock.”

She crossed her arms, looking at him sidelong. “I’ll give you that one,” she said grudgingly. “But I don’t make a habit out of feeding every poor alley cat that wanders by. Shoo.” Only the faintest twitch at the corners of her mouth gave away her amusement.

“Food is the fuel that keeps me going,” Chat said. “That, and puns. You can never go wrong with more puns in your life, and lucky for you, I am always in ample supply.”

Marinette raised a single brow in reply.

He expelled a dramatically overblown sigh. “Fiiiiine. You want the truth?” Chat stage whispered, leaning in close. “I’m so hungry I may go _catatonic._ ”

“UGH!” Marinette shoved at his shoulder. “Keep that up, see how hungry that gets you.”

Chat sighed, inwardly this time. Tonight was not a good one for appreciating his stellar wordplay. “Okay, okay. I wanted to see you too, make sure you’re okay.” None of the multiple akumas had shown up in her vicinity, but Hawk Moth had become an unpredictable wild card with that gambit.

Her expression softened. “I appreciate the honesty,” she said with a brief smile. “But three akumas in one night probably exhausted you a lot, huh? And it must have been pretty scary.”

“It was daunting,” he admitted. “It’s not really something to say out loud. People expect superheroes to have a brave front on all the time, like we’re not ordinary people underneath the masks.”

“Saying you were scared doesn’t make you any less a hero,” Marinette said, smiling again, this one more heartfelt. He felt himself grinning in return - this was why he’d really come back to her balcony. No judgement, no armor-piercing questions, just sweet understanding and sympathy. Finding out what Marinette was like beyond her shy, stuttering self when in Adrien’s presence was intriguing. His cat-like curiosity was determined to discover more, coax the real Marinette out of hiding.

Their gazes met, held, wild green meeting steadfast blue.

Marinette broke the connection first, cheeks slightly pink. “I’ll go grab some food,” she excused herself, hurrying back to her skylight with a certain degree of haste.

She returned a few minutes later, holding a white box stamped with the logo for the patisserie. “No leftover pasta, but I do have some baking rejects if you’re not choosy,” she said apologetically.

“Baking rejects? I see how it is. I’m not worthy of the good stuff after that pun.”

“Ha ha,” Marinette said, poking him in the chest. It was something she did often, Chat mused. “There’s nothing wrong with how they taste.” She lifted the lid, revealing an assortment of goodies that made his mouth water: a couple éclairs, beignets, pain au chocolat, and even a few cream puffs.

Chat eagerly reached in, grabbing an éclair that was partly smushed at one end. He bit into it, and it took all his remaining self-control not to stuff the rest into his mouth. “How is this considered a reject? It tastes AMAZING.”

“Think of it this way: if you walked into the patisserie, and all the stuff on display was as smushed as that éclair, would you want to buy any of it?” Marinette said, sitting down on her chair and balancing the box on her knees.

“I would,” Chat replied immediately. “As long as it tastes good, that’s all I need. And nothing rivals anything made by your parents.” He snagged the second éclair, pausing with the pastry halfway to his mouth when Marinette made a disapproving noise. “What?”

“I need to make you something that isn’t loaded with sugar. Any more and you’re liable to lose that fighting form of yours.” She closed the lid, much to his chagrin.

“Didn’t know how concerned you were with my body,” Chat chuckled.

Marinette flushed. “No! I-I just meant... you know, never mind. So not worth it,” she muttered, mostly to herself. “I know I almost burnt down half the kitchen last time, but anything is better than just sweets.”

Chat held up both hands to forestall her. “It’s fine, Marinette. If I wanted food, I could just get some at the hotel. Not that I would refuse your cooking under different circumstances,” he added with a wink thrown in for good measure. “Like I said before, I did want to see you. You’re a good friend and it’s so easy to just talk with you.”

It was hard to miss how her expression visibly brightened, and it made his heart briefly skip a beat. That gave him pause - the last time it had done that was shortly after he’d met Ladybug and witnessed her standing up to Hawk Moth.

“You think I’m a good friend?” she asked, almost shyly. “Wow. Friends with a superhero isn’t something I would have pegged myself capable of.”

“From what I heard, Ladybug thinks highly of you too,” Chat said, recalling his partner’s parting words. “Enough that she credited the idea of staying at the Bourgeois hotel to you.”

“Oh, yes. She said she’s seen me with you before, and I guess she figured I might know where you were. I hope that didn’t come across as me eager to be rid of you,” Marinette said with a nervous laugh. “I found your note, though.”

Chat waited.

Marinette reached next to her chair, grabbing a small spray bottle full of water. “That pun hurt me to read.” She pointed the bottle in his direction, grinning. “Now hold still while I exact my revenge.”

Feigning outrage, he dashed out of the way, his laughter soon joining hers as they forgot their worries and played.

\--

Hidden by the shifting clouds, the rooftop Trixx watched from was bathed in darkness; perfect for going unnoticed. His eyes were trained on the feline hero and his human friend, as the pair chased one another around the balcony.

He knew this Marinette was Alya’s dearest friend, and at first he had opted not to use her as a pawn... until this evening. Super hearing wasn’t one of his gifts, but he had situated himself close enough to catch most of the conversation, gleaning tidbits of information. Three akumas roaming the city the following day of his defection from Hawk Moth’s control made the kitsune grin, a truly wicked look. ( _So desperate._ )

What he found more intriguing was the girl acknowledging she was also on friendly terms with his nemesis. Purple eyes refocused on her, assessing - she was clearly close to Chat Noir, too. Maybe she was more important than Trixx had initially assumed. 

More reconnaissance was necessary before he could launch any real plans. And he already had a perfectly good idea how to go about it.

Trixx stood and melted away into the dark.

\--

Marinette was grateful it was the weekend, giving her ample opportunity to talk to Master Fu without worrying about school as well. But when her phone alarm went off, she was reluctant to leave the comfort of her bed, remaining adrift in a warm, sleepy state until her father called up.

The girl rolled onto her back with stretch and yawn that sent Tikki tumbling to one side.

“Don’t go back to sleep!” Tikki scolded, hovering just over Marinette’s face. “We still need to see Master Fu after breakfast!”

“I’m sorry,” Marinette said, drawing out the word with another enormous yawn. “After Chat left, I was so swamped by exhaustion...” Honestly, she’d been amazed to find the strength to even get into her bed. She sat up, rubbing her eyes with the back of one hand.

Tikki floated closer to press her cheek to Marinette’s affectionately. “You did great yesterday. Like when you handled Chat Noir as yourself,” the kwami laughed. “You’ve earned a short reprieve, so take it easy today, okay?”

Marinette cuddled the kwami with a smile. “You got it. Let’s hope Hawk Moth feels the same way.”

Breakfast passed quickly enough, Marinette setting off for Master Fu’s massage shop with renewed energy. She knocked, tentative, each passing second an eternity before the door opened. “Ah, I’ve been expecting you,” the short Guardian said with a comforting smile as he gazed up at her. “Please come in.”

“Thank you, Master,” Marinette said, following Fu into his sitting room. She settled onto her knees on the other side of the table and waited as patiently as she could while he poured them both tea, Tikki emerging to converse with Wayzz. Lifting the hot cup and breathing in the fragrant scent, Marinette felt a wave of serenity wash over her, scouring the edges off of her anxiety.

Fu sipped his tea, savouring it before his steady gaze finally focused on her. “How about you start where we left off, when you departed with the Fox Miraculous?”

She explained everything that had happened with Trixx, pausing only to drink the tea to wet her throat. “I can’t help but feel like I failed both Trixx and Alya... she’s been possessed because of me,” Marinette said, distraught. “Because I get her hopes up each time we need Rena Rouge, and dash them just as fast when she has to return the Miraculous.”

“Some of it was Trixx’s doing,” Wayzz interrupted. “It’s been a while since he was last called upon before we came here.”

“The fault, if we choose to assign it, would land squarely at my feet,” Master Fu said. “After my mistake with some of the other Miraculous, I’ve grown so cautious that I prefer to keep the rest close by, so I don’t make the same mistakes. Instead it seems I make new ones.” He sighed. “Trixx isn’t truly to blame for wanting to engage with the world beyond a few stolen moments. And kwamis are fully capable of feeling negativity strong enough to attract Hawk Moth’s attention.”

“Did Hawk Moth know he was akumatizing a kwami?” Marinette asked.

“Oh, I doubt he knew at first,” Fu replied, refilling his cup with what tea was left. “He probably believed Trixx was just a person experiencing some very strong emotions. But he knows now, if the three akumas from yesterday were not an obvious enough sign.”

Marinette looked down at her hands, currently tightly clenched into fists where they rested against her legs. “Master...” she began, biting her lower lip. “How are we supposed to fight Trixx?”

“I wish I could tell you there was an easy way to combat Trixx’s powers, but the truth is there is no easy solution,” Master Fu said. Marinette was already braced to hear this, yet it was a blow nonetheless, and it took considerable work to not let this panic show on her face. “Did those illusions hurt you at all?”

Marinette thought back, surprised by the answer. “No,” she said slowly. “No, they didn’t really do anything besides swarm us. Like they were just keeping us in one place.” She and Chat Noir had fought to keep the kitsunes at bay, but none of them had really done more than pounce and shove against them, not bothering to use their mouthful of fangs to attack.

Fu’s expression was pensive. “Hmm. I imagine Trixx knew he would never beat the two of you in an outright battle, and was trying to wear you down. A war of attrition,” he said. "Now that he knows that, you will have to draw him out of hiding before Hawk Moth finds him. A direct confrontation Trixx would lose, so he'll try to whittle away at you and Chat Noir with every trick he knows. Be wary."

“Master, why did my Lucky Charm tell me to come to you?” _If you can't help us with Trixx?_

Master Fu cleared his throat. “Perhaps it was a sign for another problem at hand. I sense you have another query for me,” he said, folding his hands in front of him. “Ask, my dear.”

She told him of Chat Noir’s troubles, noting the genuine surprise on the Guardian’s face with a sinking heart. “Has he used Cataclysm since your first encounter with Trixx?” Fu inquired.

“Yesterday, when we were fighting the akumas. His ring didn’t flash at all, but he did look very tired after using it,” Marinette replied, recalling the flicker of fatigue he’d covered up with one of his charming smiles, waving off her concern to focus on the ongoing battle. “Is it safe for him to be using Cataclysm in his state?”

Fu shared a look with Wayzz. “Yes, and no,” the Guardian said. “Since he cannot shed his transformation to recharge his kwami, Cataclysm would take strength directly from Chat Noir. So while he can use it, I would caution against using it repeatedly.” He tugged on his goatee, appearing lost in thought. “Marinette, I must apologize. You came here hoping for answers, but there are too many unknowns to consider. Especially Chat Noir's situation... I cannot recall anything like it in recent memory.”

“No, I understand,” Marinette said with a sad smile. “It was too naive of me to hope you had a way to fix everything that's gone wrong.”

She hadn’t been banking all her hopes on getting easy answers, but it felt like she hadn’t learned anything overly helpful at all from the conversation. Nothing that would fix Chat Noir’s problem. Marinette stood up, making an effort to keep her smile in place. Chat would be crushed, she knew, and would hide the pain behind jokes and flirtation. _But I see you now, kitty. I see right through that._

“Wayzz and I will spend day and night combing through everything we know to help you,” Fu promised, following her to the door. She didn’t doubt that, though it still rang hollow. It really was too naive to believe Fu could fix this all with a few words and a hand wave, like she did with her own powers. Marinette wasn’t disappointed with Master Fu - she was disappointed with herself.

Tikki gave her a concerned glance before she zipped into Marinette’s jacket as they stepped outside into the warm sunshine.

“Marinette!”

She turned around, puzzled, and spotted Wayzz hovering in the doorway. Wayzz beckoned her closer to the door, furtively scanning the area before he was satisfied no one was around. “Trixx is not going to be an easy opponent, but there’s also one crucial thing to remember - he’s possessed your friend. She’s still in there,” the turtle kwami said. “Try to reach her and it may weaken Trixx long enough to purify the akuma. They both share one thing in common right now, and that’s Ladybug. Love and hate, fighting for equal balance, may tip the scales in your favour.”

Marinette gaped at him, startled by the wisdom.

“Don’t be too hard on Trixx,” Wayzz continued. “He’s been so lonely, and both Master and I failed to take notice sooner. We could have avoided all this so easily...” He trailed off, drooping.

“We’ll get Trixx back, don’t worry,” Marinette said gently. “I’ll make amends, with him and Alya, too.”

Wayzz beamed, and disappeared back inside the shop. Marinette found herself smiling after him, understanding now that the Lucky Charm intended for her to talk to Wayzz, not Master Fu. Maybe it wasn’t the easy fix she was hoping for, but it was a start.

\--

Gabriel Agreste paused in the hallway on his way to his atelier, holding a light dinner in his hands. “Nathalie. Did Adrien already eat today?” he asked his assistant. The slender woman looked up from her tablet, shaking her head slightly and causing hair to fall into her face from the motion. “No, sir. He’s been in his room for the past day due to feeling unwell, remember?” she said, deftly fixing her hair back into place.

Small details often went forgotten in the grand scheme of things, like when one was a part-time supervillain. 

He vaguely recalled Nathalie informing him of cancellations for Adrien’s weekend schedule, citing a stomach bug as the cause. Adrien had insisted on bed rest, so that he would be well rested for returning to school on Monday, and expressed a desire to be left alone, “So I don’t infect everyone else with this bug.” Gabriel himself had been sidelined for a day after his activities as Hawk Moth, Nooroo’s voice haunting him both while awake and in his dreams.

“Yes, I remember now. Is he feeling better?”

“A little more improved, but he said he’ll know by Monday morning if he is fit for school,” Nathalie replied. “I was just going to fetch him some soup.” It was an invitation.

One Gabriel took, knowing it was the right thing to do. “I’ll bring it to him. Would you mind...?” he said, lifting his dinner. Nathalie dipped her head in a quick nod, pocketing her tablet to grab the plate and trotted off in the direction of the atelier, pumps clicking against the floor. A few minutes passed as he retrieved the bowl of hot soup and covered it up, making his way to his son’s bedroom.

He looked at the closed doors and felt a familiar pang of heartache, one he knew would never truly fade. Emilie had doted on Adrien, especially when their son was feeling ill, rarely leaving his side as she cared for him. After she’d vanished, he’d never been able to exercise the same level of loving care his wife had when Adrien fell sick, the simple act of bringing him soup a stark reminder of that.

His hands tightened convulsively around the hot bowl, a hiss of pain escaping through gritted teeth.

Gabriel took a moment to collect himself before knocking on the door and pushing it open. “Adrien? Are you awake?”

“...Father?”

Adrien’s voice was low and muffled. Gabriel nudged the door further open and walked in, seeing the reason why - Adrien was wrapped up in his comforter, head just peeking out from beneath the covers. He smiled faintly at the sight of the bowl. “Is that soup?”

"Yes, my son," Gabriel responded, switching a smile on as he walked across the room. He set it carefully down, studying Adrien's wan face with a critical eye. "Have you been getting enough sleep? Medicine?" He could get nearly anything with a snap of his fingers, if he wished it. But this was a moment where money wasn't important.

"I've been sleeping a lot," Adrien said with a light laugh. "What about you? You've got some pretty dark shadows under your eyes. Has business been difficult?"

_Yes. But not the kind of business I could tell you about._

"No, business has been fine. I have merely been experiencing mild insomnia. Nothing to trouble yourself with while you're unwell," Gabriel said, lightly tousling his son's hair before standing up. "Try to finish that soup while it's still hot."

"Thank you Father."

Gabriel shut the door quietly behind him, glad his composure had held. It had taken a long time to learn to shut everything up inside, so the dark secrets he held close wouldn't slip out. Even facing precious memories of his beloved Emilie couldn't break him now, no matter how much he wished they could.

He hardened his heart, face following suit. Now it was time go hunting again.


	4. A Novel Experience

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An opportunity arises at school for Marinette to gain some potential insight on Trixx, but Hawk Moth has always had such keen timing on throwing spanners in the works...

The rest of Marinette's Saturday turned out uneventful, with no visit that night from Chat Noir. Sunday was hectic enough that she passed out the second her head hit the pillow, after balancing a busy day helping her parents and scrambling to finish up last minute homework.

Hawk Moth was being oddly quiet, probably due to Trixx keeping a low profile. But Marinette was glad for the break, even if it brought an odd sense of foreboding - a storm gathering on the horizon. She rolled out of bed Monday morning with a sigh, silently apologizing to Chat in case he’d paid a visit, only to find her deeply asleep. Sleep desperately needed, Marinette reminded herself, despite realizing she was about to be late for school yet again.

She ate breakfast with a speediness that made her parents laugh, hustling out the door to school right as the bell rang. Running almost full tilt allowed her to slide into her seat a scarce few seconds before the teacher, and barely out of breath too.

“Good morning, class! I hope you all had an excellent weekend!”

Miss Bustier smiled at the cheerful, if not overly enthusiastic response, and proceeded into the roll call. Marinette tried not to think about Alya’s continued absence, as if it wasn’t a huge rock in her stomach, propping her chin in her hands. This let her belatedly notice the back of Adrien’s head, weight on her heart lifting slightly. Adrien was back, bringing some of her world back to a degree of normalcy. It was enough to fortify her for the day ahead at the very least.

He turned in his seat, as if sensing her gaze, and grinned at her. She smiled back sheepishly, hoping it didn’t look like a grimace considering what a mess her brain had just become.

“As we’re still continuing our folklore subject, today we’re going to the school library. While the internet is indeed a wonderful resource, there are some stories that may not have made it online yet. And that’s why books are still important tools for learning, dears! If you’ll grab your bags and follow me,” Miss Bustier said, waiting at the door. Marinette fell into line just behind Adrien, much to Chloé’s muttered displeasure.

“Puh-lease, I don’t need to mess up my freshly done nails with some musty old book when I could just have Daddy hire someone to do this research for me,” she said peevishly, out of earshot of Miss Bustier as they walked down the hall. Sabrina said something in response, but Marinette had already tuned them out, not wanting to ruin her good mood.

The class spread out as they entered the library, chatting amongst themselves and laughing as they perused the shelves. This noise earned a stern glare from a thin-lipped man who was supposedly the librarian, though Marinette wasn’t sure if she remembered seeing him before. Strange. Maybe he was a new hire and the principal hadn’t introduced him yet.

“That was quite the sprint you did into class this morning,” a warm voice said from behind her. Marinette squeaked out a laugh as she whirled to see the voice belonged to Adrien, his green eyes dancing with good-natured humour.

“Y-yeah, it was! Late again. It was almost worth how long I slept,” Marinette replied, rubbing the back of her head. “So, did you have a weekend-- I mean, was your good-- er, I m-mean...”

She heard Chloé snicker, to her utmost mortification, silencing any further attempt at communication. Thankfully for her, Adrien seemed to get the gist of her stuttering verbal mess, his brows slanting inwards as he frowned at Chloé. “It wasn’t the greatest, since I had a bit of a stomach bug and all,” he said, Marinette taking an inordinate amount of glee at seeing Chloé go pale and edge away from them both. “I spent most of the weekend in my room, so I’m really glad to be back at school again.”

“I’m glad you’re feeling better now,” Marinette murmured. _And I’m very glad you’re back too_ , was what she didn’t say. Or at least she thought she didn’t, until Adrien chuckled, clearly abashed.

“Class! I’ll return in a few minutes. Please be sure to respect Mr. Alec’s rules,” Miss Bustier called out.

Marinette turned back to the shelf of books she stood in front of, willing her cheeks to not literally be on fire. Adrien’s attention was claimed by Nino beckoning him over, sparing her - for now. Hard as it was, she managed to push thoughts of him out of her mind to focus on scanning the spines of the books.

If Master Fu couldn’t help her with Trixx, it was possible one of these books might give her some insight into kitsunes. Her vision swam for a minute as she recalled how excited Alya had been to ask Miss Bustier about them. Marinette glanced over at Nino, whose animated discussion with Adrien didn’t mask the shadows in his eyes; she wasn’t the only one despairing.

_I’m so, so sorry, Nino. I’ll fix this, I swear. No matter what the cost is._

Determination renewed, she resumed her search. It didn't last long, for her focus was slowly eaten away by the rising sounds of teasing and cheers, drawing the attention of not only her and the rest of class, but that of the librarian.

“I will not have you miscreants messing up this library! Cease this outrageous behaviour at once!” Alec scolded, his dark eyes flashing with anger. Alix and Kim were the focus of this anger, previously engaged in an arm-wrestling competition over a book both had tried to claim for themselves. Even Max and Ivan, who’d made up their slightly too enthusiastic audience, had the grace to look ashamed for encouraging it.

“Aw, come on, monsieur, we didn’t even doing anything that bad!” Alix said, evidence of books knocked askew off the table giving away the lie. Many had landed open on the floor, forgotten in the fun of the moment.

Alec knelt to pick up said books, efforts to corral his irritation obvious by his jerky movements and waspish tone. “Most of these are even older than the pair of you. Have some respect for literature, and save your childish games for the playground,” he all but spat. “I want apologies from both of you for being so careless.”

“What? For knocking a couple books on the floor? We would’ve picked them up!” Kim protested.

“The point is they shouldn’t have been knocked off in the first place if you two hadn’t chosen to act your shoe size and not your age!” Forgetting his demands for an apology in the face of his anger, Alec spun on his heel and strode away to replace the books back on the shelves.

“I think we should say sorry, Kim,” Alix said quietly, eyes downcast. “This really isn’t somewhere we shoulda goofed off in.”

Kim shrugged his shoulders, torn between indifference and shame. Marinette shifted her attention to the librarian, unable to see his face from this distance, but it wasn’t hard to miss the tension in his shoulders. All conversation had halted, leaving an uncomfortable silence in the library that weighed down on everyone. No one wanted to be the first to break it.

Marinette turned back to the bookcase she stood before, not really seeing the books until one figuratively jumped out at her. It was old, the green cover grown dusty and faded over the years, but the gold lettering still looked bright enough to catch her eyes. Wanting a better look, Marinette reached for the book and began to quietly slide it out, hastily stopping when it made a soft scraping noise against the wood that sounded overly loud in the preternatural silence.

As a result she missed the tell-tale flutter of tiny wings until it was too late.

_No, not here!_

The akuma hovered over Alec, the obvious target, and descended out of her line of sight. Marinette slid the book all the way off the shelf and clutched it to her chest, as if this would ward off the wave of panic she was experiencing. There was no way she could turn into Ladybug in this small library without someone seeing. She had to get to the doors before Alec transformed - no easy feat.

Marinette was looking back as she started walking, and yelped when she ran right into Chloé’s back as a result. Both girls stumbled, the blonde whirling with a scandalized cry. “Watch where you’re going, you walking natural disaster! What if you knocked me into one of these dirty old shelves, huh? Could you AFFORD to pay for my manicure if you made me mess up my nails?” Chloé complained, hands on her hips.

“Look, Chloé, I’m really sorry but I need to--”

“Nuh uh, Dupain-Cheng, I’m not through with you. You probably have whatever icky bug Adrien caught, and if your clumsiness winds up getting ME sick, you’re going to be SO sorry!”

Oh, how she wished she had the time to properly rebuke Chloé. Or had Alya to back her up, Marinette thought with another sad pang. But time was slipping through her fingers, so she faced Chloé with eyes gone steely in determination. “File a complaint with me later, but you’re in the way. You know, I think my throat’s feeling a little scratchy...” she trailed off, making a show of rubbing her neck with a feigned wince.

Chloé backed up so quickly she collided with Sabrina. “Gross! Keep your disgusting germs to yourself!”

_I bet you wouldn’t be caught dead saying that to Adrien._

Marinette rolled her eyes as she rushed past, making a beeline for the door. She raised one arm, reaching for the knob, only to be cut off by a tall figure dropping down right in her path. Scrambling to a halt, the blue-haired girl looked up at the newly created villain who was currently shaking his finger disapprovingly at her. He reached behind himself with his free arm and locked the door.

“Tut-tut, none of this leaving business, my dear. Not until you’ve all learned a valuable lesson about respecting books.”

He wore a long black trench coat that brushed the ground, belted closed so the rest of his outfit remained unseen. Hair the colour of parchment was coiffed up in a style that wouldn’t have looked out of place a few decades back, just a few shades lighter than the paper-textured skin the villain possessed. Eyes of inky black regarded the shocked students with sinister amusement.

“I am Pageturner, your part-time librarian and supervillain for the day. Before I must deal with those two heroes, surely on their way, I suppose I have a moment to teach you careless brats some respect.”

“Don’t lump me in with these losers!” Chloé interjected, crossing her arms angrily. Typically for her, she wasn’t afraid of this akuma - or was she? Marinette risked a look at her nemesis, seeing small signs she’d noticed the night of the triple akuma attack when Chloé had been watching the news. Chloé’s fingers were drumming anxiously on her arms, and while her expression was very much indignant, her tone had been more shrill than usual for an outburst.

Not that Marinette tried to pay attention to Chloé’s outbursts.

Pageturner remained unperturbed, merely looking down his aquiline nose at the blonde girl. “Ah, you’re the one who was whining earlier about ‘musty old books’,” he said, drawing one he’d tucked under one arm out and brandishing it with a flourish. “Won’t it be fitting when one of these musty books becomes your downfall?”

“This isn’t fair!” Sabrina complained. “Why are we getting punished too? We didn’t do anything!”

“I’m a supervillain - I don’t need to explain myself,” Pageturner laughed. The book he held took on a faint aura of light that spread out over his body, transforming him into a huge tiger. Wicked sharp claws clicked against the floor as he prowled forwards, herding Marinette inadvertently towards Chloé in the process.

The blonde reached a hand out towards Sabrina. “Give me my phone. I’m calling Daddy and getting animal control here, ASAP!”

“No, let me show you children the true power of literature!” Pageturner growled, springing towards the trio of girls. Chloé and Sabrina both shrieked as they dove to avoid the jungle cat, the noise echoing dreadfully in the confined space of the library. Marinette was already picking herself up off the floor from her own dive to safety, grabbing Chloé’s arm to pull her in the direction of the stairs where Max waited, shouting at them.

Sabrina was hot on their heels, even though the tiger was currently shaking his head to gather his wits, staggering dizzily from his collision with the front desk. She collapsed next to Chloé, both shivering with fear.

“I hate to be a buzzkill, bro, but won’t he just climb up after us?” Nino said to Max, peeking over the railing at Pageturner.

Max grinned and tapped the side of his head. “Not easily. I’ve read The Jungle Book too, and Shere Khan was lame in one leg,” the bespectacled boy replied, laughing shakily. “But he’ll probably wise up and find a different character to turn into, if Chat Noir and Ladybug don’t show up soon.”

Marinette’s hands clenched the book she still held tight enough to hurt. If she’d just been a little quicker...

“If he’s turning into book characters, just find a copy of Charlotte’s Web, make him turn into a spider, and SPLAT!” Alix suggested.

“I don’t think he’s going for good characters, necessarily,” Max said. “Villains are usually stronger as a plot point, so... we just need a villain with an exploitable flaw. A weakness.”

Kim snorted. “That’s gonna take way too long.” He grabbed a random book off the shelf and went to hurl it over the railing, only for Max to yelp and lunge after him, grabbing frantically at his wrist.

“Are you crazy? That’s The Hobbit! Do you really want a dragon the size of a mountain in this library with us!?”

“The idea has amusement potential.”

Perched neatly on the metal railing was a tall, eerily pale man with slick black hair and old-fashioned outfit, complete with cape. Instantly recognizable, and all the scarier because of it. He smiled at them all, exposing the barest hint of fangs. _“Boo.”_

This broke the paralysis that gripped the class, splitting into two groups to flee the classical vampire. Marinette could hear him muttering oaths under his breath as he whirled around, trying to decide who to pursue, eventually chasing after those who’d stayed on the top floor. She followed Max, Mylène, Alix, Ivan and Nino back down the stairs, looking longingly towards the doors. It was too risky trying to unlock them without alerting Pageturner.

“What about Frankenstein’s monster?” Mylène was saying to Max, holding up the novel in question. “He’s not really a bad guy, but he IS a monster.”

Max took the novel from her and stared at the cover, expression so intent that you could almost hear the gears whirring in his head as he thought it over. “It’s not perfect, but it might work. We can try to trap him using the bookcases here,” he said. “But first we need to get him down here.”

“I can try,” Alix said. She rubbed the back of her head when everyone looked her way. “It’s partly my fault he got akumatized, right? I’m sure he’s still angry at me, so if I act as bait...”

\---

The plan was to have her act carelessly as she'd done before, knocking books off shelves and making a general fuss to draw Pageturner's ire. It went off without a hitch, Alix improvising brilliantly by tossing the bait novel away after getting the villain’s attention, Pageturner roaring in outrage and leaping to snatch it out of the air. He held it tight, eyes furious as he spun back around, and transformed without thinking into the shambling form of Frankenstein’s monster.

He groaned piteously, hands outstretched towards Alix as she lured him back between two heavy wooden bookcases. Some of their classmates had managed to rejoin them - Adrien, Kim, Juleka, Rose and Nathaniel - and all of them were ready to push down the bookcases at Max’s word.

Right as Pageturner was approaching the impromptu trap, something struck him from above, making him stop to turn around. One wide arm caught Alix unexpectedly across the shoulder, a hard blow that sent her into one of the bookcases with a pained cry. She gripped her shoulder with a gasp while still backing up, face going pale. There was no time to help, with Pageturner already focusing his attention back on the pink-haired teen, his slow, shuffling steps finally taking him into the perfect spot.

_“NOW!”_

There was a great deal of noise as everyone pushed against the heavy wooden furniture, but eventually they collapsed inwards on the akuma, spilling books haphazardly across the floor. Pageturner was down for the count, hopefully, or at most trapped until help arrived.

“Are you okay?” Marinette asked as she hurried over to Alix while the rest of the class cheered at their success.

Alix’s smile was tight. “It hurts, but I’ll be okay. It was worth it to knock him out. And hey, we didn’t do too bad even without superhero assistance, huh?”

Chloé appeared moments later, not a hair out of place as she strode imperiously towards the doors. “While you all pat yourselves on the back, I’m going to call Daddy. Someone is SO getting fired,” she said, shooting a venomous look in Pageturner’s direction. “Come on Sabrina, let’s get out of here before I get infected with lame-o-itis.”

She waited until Sabrina unlocked the doors and held them open, strolling out into the hallway. Marinette and the others followed after her, stopping dead in the hallway in a school plunged into near total darkness.

“We weren’t in there that long, were we?” Rose asked uncertainly, shivering.

“No, it’s not even 11 AM,” Nino said after he took his phone out to check. “Was it because of that dude?” He gestured towards the library.

“Does anyone get the feeling bad things always happen whenever Miss Bustier leaves us alone?” muttered Nathaniel.

“Maybe the teachers are all stuck in Mr. Damocles’ office again? We could go there and check, if nothing else,” Marinette said. The rest of the class shrugged and agreed to it, even Chloé, albeit reluctantly. They descended to the second level, sticking close to one another as tension levels slowly began to rise.

Paired with the prevalent silence, the shadow-drenched collège made for one terrifying atmosphere, enough that no one spoke for a while as they trudged towards the principal’s office.

“It’s almost like we got banished to the shadow realm,” Adrien said quietly. His cheeks went pink as those closest to him turned with surprised looks. “W-what, did no one else ever watch _Yu-Gi-Oh_?”

Nino chuckled. “Some of us. But you’re not wrong with the comparison,” he replied, amber eyes somber as he glanced around. 

It wasn’t until they were drawing close to the office doors that something finally happened - a stirring in the shadows that had the entire class freezing in place. Emerging from the darkness was what could only be described as a knight, sporting full-body armor a shade of purple so dark it was almost black. Not as tall as Pageturner, they were nevertheless menacing, a feat not hard to achieve after that entrance.

The knight spoke after studying them quietly, his voice a deep, gravelly timbre. “Intruders... yes... Knightmare destroy... intruders...”

“Whoa there buddy!” said Ivan, holding up his hands to stall the shadow knight’s advance. “There’s no call for destroying anything here.” The burly teen jumped back when the knight unsheathed his sword and pointed it at him, eyes wide. The blade of the sword wasn’t steel, not entirely - it was the same colour as his armor and possessed a strange, ephemeral quality, as if not completely solid.

“Okay, change of plans - run for it and try to call for help!” Kim yelped as he himself dodged a strike. Marinette was glad to hear it, finally giving her a chance to hide and transform. The class turned round and pelted back the way they’d just came, spurred on by the loud clanking steps of the shadow knight pursuing them.

There was a small jam at the top of the stairs to the courtyard as everyone tried squeezing through at once, resulting in Alix being accidentally knocked to the floor. She grunted in pain, gripping her injured arm just below the shoulder, the delay enough to give Knightmare time to catch up to her while the others fled down to safety.

Marinette didn’t hesitate, ascending the steps to protect Alix from the akuma’s attack. She knew it was crazy, but the impulse was a visceral one; she wasn’t going to leave her injured friend to the akuma’s mercy. Knightmare halted partway through his swing, then lowered his sword entirely. The knight sheathed his weapon to her utmost relief, helm clinking as he cocked his head to one side, perhaps staring at her beneath the visor. “Foolish... noble, but... foolish...” he said, slowly. “Need... the Miraculous. Use... you.”

Horror left an acid taste in her mouth. Did this akuma somehow know her secret?

Knightmare lifted up one hand, palm facing out towards them. The reason why became clear shortly after as shadows lifted off the floor to wrap around her and Alix both, winding up their bodies like strange serpents. The last thing Marinette saw as she struggled against her bonds was Knightmare towering over her, one visible eye glowing red. _Ah. That explains the name..._

\---

She woke up to the screech of metal striking metal, head jerking up from where it had lolled against her chest. Marinette was still trussed up tightly to some pipes in... the boiler room? It was dimly lit, as expected, but the sound that had startled her to wakefulness meant Knightmare was still here, and that was very much not good for her state of mind. 

Which was rapidly approaching full-blown panic mode.

The akuma stepped into view, heading her way with his blade in hand. It pulsed with power, and the mere sight of it had Marinette cringing back against the pipes. Something about its appearance lifted every hair on the nape of her neck, knowing its existence was unnatural and _wrong_.

“What did you do with Alix?” she demanded, to take her mind off of the unpleasant thoughts swirling about. Knightmare didn’t answer her immediately as he came to a stop a scant few feet away.

“She’s in the land of shadows,” he replied absently. He spoke with much more eloquence, and seeing his blade bloated with power... oh, yeah, she’d leapt past panic and done a cannonball into mindless terror. “Don’t worry, you’ll be seeing her shortly. I’ll need all the power I can get to find your friends and escape this school.”

Marinette was rendered speechless by the sight of him raising his sword and pointing it towards her. “A brave soul like yourself will be quite the boost.” The sword started swinging, whistling as it cut through the air. Everything went into slow motion, her entire world compressed into tunnel vision focused solely on that damn blade. And then it was flying out of Knightmare’s hands, hitting the floor away from them.

“Paws off, bucko. She’s mine.”

_I will endure a hundred cat puns if I’m totally not hallucinating that voice._

Vision returning to normal as the jagged edge of her horror was sanded away by crushing relief, Marinette saw him just past Knightmare’s bulk. His expression was furious like she’d never seen before, vivid green eyes nearly burning holes into Knightmare from the force of his anger alone.

“The gallant knight here to rescue his princess and her subjects,” said Knightmare as he calmly turned to face Chat Noir. “How quaint.”

“No. First I vanquish the evil, then I sweep the purrincess off her feet. I’m looking forwards to the sweeping part,” Chat said, sweeping his baton around in a wide arc. “So if you’ll hold still...” He sprang towards Knightmare, dodging a shadowy tendril the akuma shot towards him and batting another aside before landing on his opponent feet first. The momentum bore them both to the ground, but Knightmare was no slouch and rolled with him, throwing the superhero off. 

He snatched up his sword, slashing wildly at the air and forcing Chat back. Pressing his advantage, Knightmare kept up a brutal front, but Chat was running on anger and adrenaline both and fought back just as savagely. Marinette thought back to the time he’d battled against another akuma all alone, and how he’d been so worried about Ladybug not being around (and protecting her as Marinette to boot) that his fighting had suffered greatly.

Not a problem now, Marinette noted in awe. Chat suddenly dropped low to the floor as Knightmare charged at him, using his baton to cleverly trip the akuma at his top speed. The knight crashed directly into a sprawl of pipes, armor ringing horribly from the contact before he collapsed into the floor in a heap.

“Marinette!” breathed Chat as he rushed over to her, using his claws carefully to slice the shadow ropes binding her. She barely had time to stumble away from the pipe before she was caught in a crushing hug. “I’m so glad you’re not hurt.”

She couldn’t imagine how he must have felt watching Knightmare swing at her before intervening. Marinette rested her face against his leather-clad shoulder, reveling in the moment and his warm embrace to steady herself. But she knew other important things needed tending to before her own emotional well-being, for now. Like... “Alix!”

Extricating herself from Chat’s hug, Marinette hurriedly searched around the boiler room before spotting her friend hidden just out of sight, still bound up in her own shadow ropes. Alix was propped up against the wall, eyes closed like she was sleeping, but there was an absence of vitality that terrified Marinette as she crouched down to touch Alix’s neck. Her skin was cold and clammy, pulse sluggish. “What did that akuma do to you...?” Marinette whispered.

“What happened, princess?” said Chat as he knelt down next to her, putting one gentle hand on her shoulder. “I saw your school on the news - covered in this dark shroud. I assume that... that thing is responsible.” He jerked his chin in Knightmare’s direction, mouth flat. Definitely still pissed off.

“Alix and I were-- well, she got hurt and-- but there was everything in the library, and...”

“Easy. Breathe, Marinette,” Chat said, catching her gaze. “Now, take it slow, and tell me how all of this got started.”

It took some time to explain the day’s events, condensing them without cutting too many details out, but eventually Chat got the gist of it. His expression was thoughtful, though his eyes held a twinkle of familiar feline amusement. “I gotta say, I’m impressed you and your classmates took on an akuma like that all alone,” he said. “Not knowing if help was coming.”

Marinette hoped they’d all escaped, or at least hidden well. “I knew _you_ would show up,” she said with a smile. He returned it easily, adding a wink for good measure.

“Things might get messy with two akumas on paw to deal with, but I’ll fight easier knowing you’re out of the line of fire.” Chat freed an unconscious Alix from her bindings, taking her and Marinette to the art room and instructing them to lay low. “And no playing the hero again,” he warned her as he turned to leave. “Not unless you want to scare more lives out of me.”

Waiting until she was sure he was long gone, Marinette opened her clasp. Tikki zoomed out, nodding silently in understanding - they’d talk later. 

“Spots on!”

\---

Out of the two akumas, Knightmare proved to be the easier one to handle. In comparison to Pageturner anyways, who had woken up in a fury, transforming himself into an enormous dragon Max would later swear was actually Smaug. In his ire, however, Pageturner had forgotten he was still in the library itself, costing him precious time to extricate himself, time Ladybug had used to figure out a plan of defeat.

Using her Miraculous had never felt better, knowing it would restore Alix and the staff too; Knightmare revealed he had dealt with them before laying in wait for unsuspecting students seeking help to visit the office.

As she and Chat fist-bumped their victory, Ladybug’s heart surged with mingled joy and relief as she saw her classmates emerge from hiding, swarming the two superheroes to express their thanks. “Everyone doing okay?” she asked, several heads bobbing affirmations. She turned to grin at Chat, only to pause upon seeing his face.

He looked as if he’d seen a ghost, eyes wide and mouth hanging open in shock. Ladybug followed his gaze, which was currently trained on Adrien Agreste. “Chat Noir? Is something wrong?” she quietly asked. He slanted an unreadable look her way, then stared at Adrien again, lips compressing themselves into thin lines.

Chat shook his head. “It’s nothing. You ought to get out of here before you transform back,” he said with a strained smile.

“But... there’s still some things I need to talk to you about,” Ladybug protested. Chat put one finger over her mouth to stop her when her earrings beeped again. 

“It can wait until later, milady. Meet me at the usual spot.”

She hated leaving him hanging again, especially when she wasn’t sure why he’d reacted so strangely to Adrien’s presence. Ladybug sighed under her breath and made her reluctant escape. Before she left the school as Marinette later, she made sure to grab the book she’d taken from the library earlier, dropped on the stairs in her rush to protect Alix.

_History of Kitsune Yokai_ had to be worth reading after all the trouble she’d gone through.


	5. Fortuna Major

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir finds his life is about to get a lot more complicated in different ways, while Marinette learns a few new things that may surprise her. But another showdown is on the horizon for the superhero pair that ramps up the stakes.

There was no sight like the Parisian skyline caught between dusk and nightfall. The myriad of colour ranged from faded orange into rose blush pink, with streaks of pale violet clouds mixed in here and there, illuminated by the sinking sun as it began its slow descent.

Chat Noir propped his chin on his knees, eyes flicking between watching the horizon and the rooftops as he waited for Ladybug to arrive. What he most certainly was not doing was also watching a familiar balcony for signs of Marinette. He was still worried about how she was dealing with the aftermath of Knightmare - the look on her face when the akuma had struck out was permanently seared into Chat’s mind. His hands clenched abruptly; the akuma was long purged, but his anger remained. It didn’t matter that she had gone unhurt.

No one was allowed to put that kind of fear into her eyes.

Marinette didn’t make an appearance as the sky darkened bit by bit into the indigo of nighttime. His solitude would not last much longer, however, as feet hit the tiles just behind him, bringing him a rush of relief. Finally.

“How’s it going, chaton?” She sat down next to him, slender legs drawn beneath her. He could sense her expectant gaze on his face, but he didn’t respond immediately, searching for the right words.

“I shouldn’t complain,” Chat said. “The hotel is great, food is stellar... but I just want to be me again, you know? To go back to a part-time ordinary life.” To see his friends again more than anything. He couldn’t keep the longing out of his voice, despite trying to sound casual to spare Ladybug from just how much it really hurt. She saw too deeply, his partner. Or maybe he was just an open book.

Ladybug sighed, the sound almost snatched away by the wind.

“That sounds promising,” he said dryly. “You can tell me, paw-tner. I won’t bite.”

Her response was to hit the roof with a fisted hand, startling him. Chat looked over quickly, taking in her furrowed brow and tear-bright eyes. “I wish I could use my Miraculous to help you. I wish it was that easy,” she gasped out. “All I have for you is no answer at all.” Her fist lifted again, but Chat reached out and caught it between both of his hands.

Easing it back down, Chat gave her hand a firm, reassuring squeeze before letting go. “It’s okay, bugaboo. I think part of me was braced for this.”

Surprising him yet again, her hand sought out his, fingers lacing through his own. “It’s not fair,” his lady murmured. “You have a life waiting for you, like I do. And it hurts me that I can’t give that back to you.” She looked at him, eyes still bright with unshed tears and mixed with helpless fury.

“Shhh,” Chat consoled her, inching closer. “Both of us knew it was likely that there wasn’t going to be a quick fix to this. But enough about me.”

A husky laugh burst free. “Oh? Chalk that down on the list of things I’d never thought I’d hear Chat Noir say.”

He grinned. “I’ll let that slide just this once,” he said, delighted to hear her laugh again. “What did you learn about our foxy friend?”

She nodded, telling him what she’d gleaned, though Chat had the sense she was holding something important back. As Ladybug spoke, he’d noticed her sidling closer until their shoulders were barely touching, and their hands were still linked together. Comforting him in her own way, he thought. He wasn’t about to complain.

“Hey, chaton?” she said into the quiet that had lapsed between them. “I need you to promise me something.”

“Anything for you, bugaboo,” he replied immediately. Chat trusted she wouldn’t ask for anything impossible.

“Good. Then I don’t want you using your Cataclysm.”

Chat stared at her, mouth agape. “Excuse me?” So much for the impossible. “You’re joking, right? Where’s the punchline?”

“Do I sound like I’m laughing?” she replied acerbically. “Listen, Chat, the more you use it, the more you risk your life. It’s taking power directly from you. And you can’t turn back to feed your kwami to regain your strength.”

Oh. It made sense, and it explained his prolonged fatigue after using it against the three akumas. “What if you’re in danger, milady? I won’t stand by and let you, or anyone else, get hurt when there’s something I can do,” Chat protested. His mind flashed back to Knightmare, sword slicing through the air - he would have used Cataclysm to save Marinette, easy. No matter the cost.

Thinking about Marinette while with his lady made him feel... strangely guilty. But why? They were two totally different individuals, and he knew without a doubt he still loved Ladybug. Yet he couldn’t disregard the tug he felt towards Marinette, the bond they’d started building the night he’d visited her after discovering his transformation trouble. Thankfully for him, Ladybug’s voice cut into his thoughts and led him out of the quagmire they’d been forming.

“I didn’t ask you to never use it,” she said, patiently. “Should have been clearer. I don’t want you using it unless it’s an extremely dicey situation. A last resort.”

He considered this. “I’ll agree under one condition - I get to decide what fits the bill as a ‘dicey situation’.”

By the way her jaw set, Chat could tell Ladybug wasn’t too keen on that idea. But she nodded anyways. “Fine.”

Relaxing, Chat traced circles on the palm of her hand with his thumb, content to savor these precious minutes with her. _Who knows how long these peaceful moments will last until we catch Trixx..._

Ladybug shifted, nearly imperceptibly. Then she said, “Can I ask you another question?”

“Ask away, my lady.”

“Do you have a problem with Adrien Agreste?”

He froze. She couldn’t have stunned him more if she’d picked up a plank of wood and smacked him with it. “Eh?” was all Chat could manage to say, in his usual eloquent way. Not. _Way to play it cool, Agreste. You’re totally not digging your grave even deeper._

“The blonde boy I saw you staring at back at the school. You looked like you’d seen a ghost,” Ladybug said, blue eyes inquisitive. “So I wondered if something was up, but, you know, I didn’t have the time to really ask...”

Damn! Chat had to think fast, because no way was he going to reveal his identity like this. Seeing that... that clone, doppelganger, or whatever it was pretending to be him had yanked the rug out from beneath his feet, and the world hadn’t been quite right since. But Chat knew, deep down, that it was inexplicably tied to why he, the real Adrien, couldn’t transform back. It was quite the intuitive leap, one he couldn’t explain if he wanted to pursue the lead on his own, to keep his identity safe.

It was a rare instance in which he deliberately lied to Ladybug. “No problems here, my lady. I was just... surprised. Because he's shockingly similar to me, doncha think?” Chat said, desperately hoping she didn’t persist in questioning him.

Ladybug blinked slowly, then covered her mouth with her free hand to stifle a snort of amusement. “Really? You think you and Adrien Agreste, the model, are remotely alike?” she gasped out between giggles. “Please! Do you need a wide-load to transport that ego of yours?”

Chat glared at her, mortally offended. “Scratch that. I'm definitely more handsome, what with my roguish charm. But c'mon, you can't deny there's some resemblance!" he argued. "Heh, he might even be taking inspiration from me. I should drop by a photo shoot one day, get us arrested for stealing so many hearts." _Talking about myself like this is just weird._

Now she was full out laughing, withdrawing her hand from his to clutch her stomach while nearly bending over double. He grumbled under his breath, turning to sulk. “I’m sorry chaton, really,” Ladybug giggled. “I just... that was unexpected. Whew!”

“And yet you never laugh at my puns like that,” pouted Chat.

“You’re funnier when you’re not trying,” Ladybug said with a grin. “Puns are just terrible in general.”

“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that.”

“You’ll forgive me,” she said confidently, standing up and stretching. She reached down to pull him to his feet, which he acquiesced to reluctantly, knowing the time of parting was close. “Chin up, kitty. We’ll figure this all out, like we always do.”

Yes. But how long will that take? He didn’t voice the thought, not wanting to tarnish the lightened atmosphere with his pessimism. “Then, for now, you should just worry about Trixx instead of me. He’s the bigger threat here.” Until he was caught by either them or Hawk Moth, there would be no peace for Paris. His own problem was but a pebble in the avalanche that was the rogue kwami loose in the city in vengeful pursuit of Ladybug.

“You’re right,” Ladybug murmured. “But if you need my help brainstorming, just call. Okay?” Without waiting for a reply, she darted in close to press a swift, affectionate peck to his cheek. Stunned, Chat went immobile and stammered out a stream of gibberish, earning a shy laugh from his lady before she used her yo-yo to make her escape.

\---

Marinette didn’t try to hide her yawn as she lay down on her bed, wondering if she was going to be able to retain anything she read from _History of Kitsune Yokai_ as tired as she felt. Tikki was peering at the heavy green tome from her perch on Marinette’s shoulder, slowly eating a macaron procured earlier. “Where did you find this old book?” the kwami asked around a mouthful.

“The library at school. I don’t know if this strictly applies to rogue kwami spirits, but...” the girl trailed off with a shrug. Then she glanced at Tikki, a thought forming. “You and Wayzz both knew Trixx. Is there anything you can tell me about him?”

Tikki’s tiny face scrunched up adorably in concentration. “Not enough to be helpful. Sorry, Marinette.”

She blew out a breath, flicking through the book with careful fingers. “It was worth a shot,” Marinette said, squinting at the cramped print on the pages. Some sections were faded from age, including most of the vividly surreal illustrations. One such piece caught her eye, a kitsune calling forth a blue orb of fire that evoked a memory of the first fight against Trixx. Kitsune-bi, or fox-fire, as a translation helpfully pointed out.

The section only went on to say how it was manifested. Marinette sat back, disappointed. She turned the page, not quite reading the words until she noticed the heading of the chapter.

Kitsune-tsuki - Possession.

That got her attention.

Trixx had told her he’d possessed Alya the day he’d revealed himself. But as Marinette read, she could tell this wasn’t the same kind of possession she was dealing with. Only one line stood out about how a possessed person cast a fox’s shadow; if Trixx tried tricking her or Chat Noir by using other people, this sliver of knowledge might come in handy. 

_I wonder if Trixx can possess more than one person. Eesh, scary thought..._

Marinette turned a few more pages, halting on a page detailing illusions. Bingo!

“Ugh! This tells me everything I already know,” she groaned, setting the open book down on her lap. And worse - kitsunes could cause illusions that were nigh indistinguishable from reality. Trixx was already strong enough with the akuma boost, and she wouldn’t put it past the kwami to use illusions to fool them in more subtle ways than his parlour trick from the plaza.

“But Trixx doesn’t have an endless source of power,” Tikki said as she floated down to read the passage. “He might be strong, but he’s still a kwami. Plus, if he’s tricking you and Chat Noir at the same time, that’s got to be difficult for him to maintain.”

“I dunno Tikki, the kitsune copies he threw at us seemed pretty realistic. They felt real when they were pouncing on us.”

“You told Master Fu they didn’t hurt either of you,” reminded Tikki. “It’s like he said about Trixx just trying to wear you down. They were as real as he could make them, but they weren’t actually there. We need to worry more about him finding other ways to use those illusions.”

“If you mean disguising himself as Chat or myself, we already have that covered,” Marinette replied, recalling their code words with a slight smile.

Tikki shook her head. “No, not like that. What if he cast illusions of people you know? People in danger? If you didn’t know it was an illusion, there’s no telling what Trixx could make you do.” Such as give up her Miraculous, Trixx’s overall goal. Memories surfaced, unbidden, of Volpina showing her Adrien in peril, and how she’d scrambled to go to his rescue.

Adrien, or her family... or even her classmates, if their lives were endangered...

Marinette looked at Tikki, wringing her wrists. “But how can we tell if they’re real or not?”

“Use your senses!” chirped her kwami. “Check them all, one by one. Sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. Trixx is very, very clever, but he’s also been a bit on the proud side. I wouldn’t put it past him to think he’s got you or Chat fooled through sight, sound or touch alone.”

“Taste, though?” Marinette said, internally cringing. Tikki rolled her eyes and giggled.

“Fine, forget that one. Unless he conjures up a five-course meal, in which case I’d sure hope that’s the first one you try!”

This time she joined Tikki in laughing, trailing off into another huge yawn that had the kwami scolding her to get to sleep.

\---

School the next day passed in a dizzy blur, starting off with a brief assembly about the previous day’s akumatizations. The teachers were insistent that anyone who felt troubled or traumatized sought out them or one of the guidance counselors brought in. This made Marinette squirm, especially when she knew Alix in particular was looking her way. Even now the mere mention of Knightmare made her pulse race uncomfortably fast.

But she had too many other things to worry about, and shoved those thoughts out of her head to focus on just making it to the final bell. As she headed towards her locker after classes were over, someone swung into her path.

“Sabrina?” Marinette said, stopping. What was more unusual was that Sabrina was alone, with no Chloé in sight. “What’s up?”

“Stay where you are, Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I need to talk to you.”

There she was.

Chloé was walking up behind her, disdain clearly etched across her face. “Go on Sabrina, make sure my driver is here waiting for me when I’m done.” The blonde waited until the other girl was gone, leaving the two of them mostly alone in this section of the locker room.

“What do you want, Chloé?” Marinette asked tiredly. That her school nemesis was cornering her never boded well, and if she was here to pick another fight over something stupid...

Arms crossed and blue eyes crackling with fire, Chloé’s face made it clear she hated this as much as Marinette did. “I don’t know what you did to get the attention of someone that famous. You’re not as rich, beautiful, or talented as I am. So what gives? And why am I being treated like a common mailman, delivering messages? HELLO, we live in the age of cell phones! Text messages are SO MUCH MORE CONVENIENT.”

Marinette stared openly in shock. “Is there a point to this ranting, or can I just tune you out now?”

“You’re so not going anywhere! I’m just mad at how utterly ridiculous this all is!” Chloé fumed. “But SOMEONE made it very clear that this was important. And I need you to promise me you can keep a secret. Or is that too hard for you?”

Now it was Marinette’s turn to cross her arms, fixing the blonde across from her with an icy glare. “Why should I promise you anything? It’s not like you’ve given me any inclination to do so,” she said. _And your attitude is making that likelihood decrease with every passing second._

“I wouldn’t be caught dead asking YOU for favours. The person who insisted, in no uncertain terms, that I had to pass on a message to you is someone I... I owe a lot to,” Chloé said, breaking eye contact to look at the floor. Her demeanor had shifted typical brattiness to... subdued, nearly normal human being. More humble than Marinette had seen her yet. “They want to keep a low profile. Which is why I want you to promise you won’t tell anyone about what I’m about to divulge.”

Something in her tone got through, and Marinette eased up, but remained wary nonetheless. It _was_ Chloé she was talking to. “Alright. I won’t tell anyone, I swear.”

Chloé nodded once, satisfied, then said, “Chat Noir wants to see you at La Grand Paris.”

“This... isn’t some kind of prank TV show is it? Like those ones in America?” Marinette said after an awkward pause. “Why would Chat Noir want to see me?”

“Beats me,” replied Chloé, shrugging. Her gaze was full of scrutiny. “I asked myself that question several times today and I still don’t know. But he’s staying at the hotel and wants to see you. It’s your choice if you go or not. Like I care, though. I gave you the message and I’m so outta here.”

She turned on her heel and left, Marinette hastily collecting her thoughts to pursue the blonde. “Wait up!” Marinette called, just barely catching up as Chloé was getting into the car. “I’m going. Can I hitch a ride with you?”

Chloé threw back her head and laughed so loudly that several passing pedestrians stopped to gawk. She swiped her streaming eyes and cracked one open to look at Marinette. “As if! I was told to give you a message, not offer you a lift back. Get your own ride!” she cackled again. Yep, she was back to her regular, nasty self.

“But your hotel is a few blocks away!”

“Then I hope you have bus fare!” The door was pulled shut, car peeling away from the curb to blend into traffic. Marinette stood on the sidewalk glowering after it, pondering just what had possessed her to think Chloé actually would have agreed.

“Marinette? Did I hear you need to go to Chloé’s hotel?”

It was Adrien, hands tucked in his pockets as he waited for his own driver to show up. Marinette was mortified, realizing he must have been there the entire time and witnessed her crowning moment of naivete. She laughed sheepishly before saying, “Oh, y-yeah. But it’s alright, I’ll just take the walk-- I mean, bus. It’s no big deal.”

He should his head and gave her a friendly grin. “I don’t mind taking a couple extra minutes to drop you off there. Anything to delay getting to piano practice,” Adrien said, adding a fake yawn for emphasis. Marinette giggled, silently assessing and comparing him to Chat Noir in her head. She could almost see the similarity in appearance, but in personality they were worlds apart.

But were they really?

She’d always viewed Adrien like he lived on a pedestal, perfection incarnate. Could do no wrong, ever. Though as she was learning while their friendship progressed, he was as human as she was, with everything that entailed. And she’d caught glimpses of a hidden cheeky side, one piece of the fascinating puzzle that was the real Adrien Agreste. That side reminded her a little bit of Chat.

“Thanks, Adrien. I’d really appreciate a lift,” Marinette said, smiling warmly at him. He returned it, her heart cartwheeling in response.

\---

Too soon the trip was over, idle chatter about nothing in particular taking her mind off what Chat might want to see her for. His father’s assistant opened the door for her, briskly efficient, and Adrien heaved a sigh. “I’ll see you tomorrow!” he called after her, waving. Marinette waved back, all but floating up the the doors of the hotel when his car drove off.

It was a good thing she knew, as Ladybug, which room had been given to Chat, since Chloé unhelpfully never mentioned it. Marinette knocked timidly on the door, tucking her hands behind her back and waiting.

She was greeted by the door grandly swinging open and a singsong voice inviting her to, “Come on in, princess!”

The room was familiar - the suite usually designated for Jagged Stone, she noticed. It seemed strangely empty without the rock star and his pet crocodile taking up residence, with his larger than life personality. Marinette walked in, turning to see Chat’s usual charming smile as the hero closed the door and sauntered towards her. “Glad to see you got my message after all,” he said, ushering her towards the table in the center of the spacious room.

“Yes. But tell me how you actually got Chloé to do you a favour!” Marinette said as she sat and leaned into the plushy backrest. “Blackmail? Bribery? Threats?”

Chat laughed as he sat down next to her, pushing a small plate of food and a glass of water she hadn’t seen in her direction. “You can eat some if you're hungry,” he said. "But to answer your question, no. More like a little purr-omise. Nothing you need to worry about."

_If I’m right, you’re probably going to regret that sooner rather than later._ She could think of a few dastardly things involving her other identity he may have agreed to. Marinette picked up one of the beautifully crafted sandwiches on the plate and sniffed it cautiously before taking a bite, mostly to keep herself from asking about that ‘promise’ and inadvertently outing herself. Delicious.

“What did you want to see me for? Not for a late lunch, I imagine,” she said after demolishing half of it, ravenous. Her constant outings as Ladybug worked up one big appetite.

He waited until she’d finished the food before leaning forwards, green eyes so focused on her that Marinette grew nervous. “It’s about yesterday. When I... saved you from that akuma,” said Chat, voice low. “I was worried about you, and wanted to make sure you were okay after all of that.” There was no trace of laughing, charming Chat on his face, his concern for her clear as the sunlight streaming in the windows.

Marinette needed a moment to let everything sink in. Chat Noir had been worried enough, despite her assurances the previous day, to not even wait until nightfall to check on her. 

Her heart gave a sudden lurch that caught her off guard.

Meeting his eyes, she felt her mouth unexpectedly dry up. _Great. Now I’m getting just as tongue-tied as I am whenever I try talking to Adrien!_ Desperately, Marinette seized the glass of water and downed a good portion before she tried speaking again. “I’m fine,” she croaked out, feeling her cheeks heat in embarrassment. “I really am.”

“Are you sure? It must have been terrifying,” Chat said gently. Coaxing.

She took a deep, steadying breath, closing her eyes briefly to focus. “It was one of the scariest things I’ve experienced in my life,” Marinette admitted. “But when I heard your voice, I knew everything was going to be okay.”

Chat blushed, to her utter amazement. It made him look adorably young.

“It sounds cheesy huh?” She laughed softly. “Did I ever say thank you?” It hadn’t occurred to her at the time, still jittery with a painful blend of anxiety and relief for his presence.

“Knowing you were safe was thanks enough for me,” he replied with a hint of a smile quirking up the corners of his mouth. It didn’t quite chase away the shadows that lingered on his face, something that had Marinette reaching out without hesitation to lay a hand on his arm. He started, but didn’t move away.

“Are _you_ okay?” _I seem to remember a night not too long ago, where we talked about how heroes are just as human as the rest of us._ “What you saw from your side was probably worse.”

A shake of his head. “There’s no probably about it. When I saw him swing at you, my heart stopped,” he said, eyes on the table. “What if I’d just been a second or two later?” He let out a short, harsh breath, clearly reliving the moment. Marinette patted the leather-clad arm under her hand comfortingly as she struggled to find the right thing to say.

It was a hard task made even harder by the undercurrent running through her mind - he cared. Cared enough that he was beating himself up over the chance he might not have made it to her rescue in time.

“You weren’t. And you know what, Chat? It’s okay that you were just as scared as I was. You still acted, and I’m hearty and hale because of that. That’s what makes you a hero.” _My hero_. Marinette gave him a smile right from the heart when he tilted his head to look at her.

His eyes widened a fraction, a light flickering to life in the luminous green. “Marinette...”

Marinette found herself caught under some kind of spell, locked in place. All she could hear was the sudden thunder of her racing heart. She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but it seemed like Chat was getting closer, expression more intense than she’d ever seen it.

Dimly she could hear a voice protesting somewhere deep down, shouting about how this was a bad idea. She couldn’t really think of why that might be, when he was close enough that his tousled blonde locks were tickling her face.

A sharp knock at the door, followed by, “Chat Noirrrrrrr? I brought you some yummy treats fresh from the oven!”

Chat pulled back with a muttered oath. “Of all the times...” Cheekbones streaked with red, he reluctantly got up from the seat, the spell binding them broken. Marinette covered her face with both hands, willing herself to regain some semblance of control in case Chloé entered the room. At least Chloé had knocked instead of simply barging in.

She reached for the glass of water and chugged the rest of it as Chat answered the door, Chloé’s strident tones echoing loudly off the walls. When he sat back down after a few minutes of idle chatter before convincing the other girl to leave, Marinette was glad for the time to rebuild her composure, able to face him without going beet red and speaking in strangled gibberish.

“Speaking of Chloé,” she said, taking her phone out of her bag. “She, uh, made it pretty clear she didn’t like playing courier pigeon.”

“Dare you to call her that to her face,” teased Chat, flashing a wicked grin.

“NO.” Marinette playfully socked him in the shoulder. “Anyways, you should have my number just so neither of us have to hear her complain like that again. Chipmunks on helium would be put to shame by how shrill she got.” She shuddered.

His laughter filled her with warm, fuzzy bubbles, and it was the sound she heard later that night when she went to sleep, keeping it close like a warding amulet against the dreams that were sure to come.

\---

Late afternoon was when the peace broke the following day, but not by one of Hawk Moth’s akumas.

Trixx himself was the source of the chaos, his motives unclear as he caused mayhem by the Trocadéro. Chat Noir, who'd been patrolling nearby, was doing his best to limit any possible harm to civilians and tourists alike. Unlike the first night, there was no live news broadcast of this fight, and so Ladybug was late to the scene.

When she finally made it, she had to do a double take at the apparent damage done to the scenery, gasping. This was one of her favourite spots in all of Paris, a place she came to when she needed a little inspiration for designing. Upturned benches, glittering pieces of broken statues littering the stairs, literal gouges in the pillars... just what had that crazy cat and kitsune gotten up to in their fight?

“Ladybug! DUCK!”

Chat’s voice, which she heeded without hesitation, feeling a rush of air pass just over her head as Trixx sailed harmlessly by. He landed heavily, whirling to face her with teeth bared in a feral grin. “Do you like my redecorating, Ladybug?” Trixx intoned, tail swishing. “I saw your face when you showed up. Such a lovely look for you.”

Anger rose in a hot flame, her mouth opening to snap a retort that would never be heard. All because of a faint clinking sound made by a pair of dice that rolled across the stones in between where Ladybug and Trixx were facing off.

The kitsune eyed the dice in confusion, yelping when they exploded seconds later, knocking both him and Ladybug back. She was caught by Chat Noir’s quick reflexes, but Trixx wasn’t nearly so lucky, kwami staggering unsteadily to all four feet a fair distance away. “SHOW YOURSELF!” he bellowed, several will-o-wisps flaring to life with the force of his fury.

“Are you up for playing a little game of luck?”

The voice was lilting, issuing from a woman perched atop a statue plinth. She wore a knee-length elegant dress that was an even split between red and black, hair coiled into an elegant bun sporting the same colour scheme. Her skin tone was a solid white with no defining features besides a dark beauty mark under her right eye.

She smiled down at the three of them, a striking beauty. “On second thought, you two appear a bit too young to be gambling. So do Fortuna a favour and shoo,” the akuma crooned, flicking her fingers dismissively at the superhero pair.

“Not a chance! You think you can beat good luck and bad luck combined?” Chat retorted.

“Good luck, bad luck - it’s all in how one perceives it.” A breathy laugh. “But I’ve always been more fond of the saying ‘fortune favours the bold’!” Fortuna raised her hand, hurling another pair of dice in their direction. Instead of exploding, this pair erupted into a billowing cloud of smoke that spread with incredible speed to impair their sight. Trixx uttered an angry yowling noise, sounds of combat beginning anew following suit.

Ladybug blindly reached out beside her, knowing Chat was still nearby from the disembodied coughing. “Use your baton to take us up!” she managed to say despite her own coughing fit. He wrapped one arm around her waist, and then they were soaring out of the dark smoke to view the battle that had ensued without them.

Trixx was trapped by huge playing cards, four on each side of the kitsune to keep him in one place. Some clone kitsunes were frantically keeping Fortuna at bay, and losing, badly. She threw her dice, this pair becoming a huge sphere that bowled them over, causing the copies to dissipate at last. “I’d suggest giving in now, if you’re smart,” Fortuna said as she strode purposefully towards Trixx.

Ladybug didn’t need Chat’s low oath to leap into the air, yo-yo arcing down to wrap around the villain and halt her progress. Fortuna screeched in frustration, but didn’t struggle, instead opening her hand to let more dice drop free. 

A flash of light turned them into a red cube covered in numbers, barely any bigger than the dice, but Fortuna stomped one high-heeled foot into it, a copy of herself appearing the next moment. The copy hurled more dice of the exploding variety towards Ladybug, Chat suddenly knocking them both flat to the ground.

“This akuma is playing dirty,” he muttered, helping her stand up. “A little luck of our own making would be nice.” A pointed look sent her way.

“Why aren’t you after our Miraculous?” Ladybug asked Fortuna instead, the freed akuma pausing mid-step. She wordlessly ordered her double to deal with Trixx, then glanced over her shoulder.

“Oh, I still intend to take them, dear Ladybug. But right now you’re just in the way,” Fortuna replied, before being interrupted by a tremor that made her stagger.

The kitsune had knocked down one of the towering cards, nearly succeeding in taking down the Fortuna double in the process. The real one laughed when Trixx conjured more fox fire, using her magical dice to create a shield in the form of a shiny golden coin that wouldn’t have looked out of place at a casino. It reflected the fox fire right back, sending the kwami tumbling painfully to the ground.

Seeing him subdued by only one akuma was frightening. Hawk Moth was stopping at nothing to reclaim Trixx, something she absolutely could not let happen, or else she’d lose her only shot at saving the kwami and Alya.

Ladybug looked down at her yo-yo, barely noticing Chat moving out at the edge of her vision to buy them precious time. Please, she thought desperately, let this Lucky Charm be a useful one.

_I won’t let you steal my friend away Hawk Moth!_


	6. The Choices We Make

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The conclusion of the fight against Fortuna. Chat reveals some startling information he learned while facing off with Trixx. Marinette makes some surprising discoveries of her own, and later witnesses an unusual outburst that raises more questions...

_THWACK_. The sound of Chat Noir’s baton striking the dice hurtling her way back at Fortuna.

An angry yowl rising from Trixx as the exploding dice landed near him after the akuma dove for safety.

Her own pulse roaring in her ears.

These were the noises she would remember most when looking back at protecting Trixx, who by all rights was her enemy, to keep him out of Hawk Moth’s scheming hands.

“Lucky Charm!” Ladybug cried, extending her yo-yo skyward. It became a bottle of ladybug-themed glue that landed in her outstretched hands, where she looked down at it with dismay and a good, heaping dose of panic.

“Oh, huh,” Chat Noir said as he retreated to her side, studying the glue bottle. “I get it! We’re distracting her with an arts and craft project! I hope it's glitter glue.”

She shoved him, albeit lightly, in the shoulder. “I was thinking more of gluing your lips if you don’t go keep her away from Trixx.” This was so not the time for some smart alecky comments, even if the intention was to lighten the moment.

“Only if you kiss me afterwards. Then you’ll really know how attached I am to you, bugaboo.” Chat laughed as he pounced back into the fray, a wise move on his part.

Rolling her eyes, she refrained from muttering rude things to look around in hopes of having her vision kick in with a hint on how to use this particular Lucky Charm. Her gaze wandered to Fortuna’s clenched hands, where it seemed like a nearly endless supply of dice were being manifested.

Force her hands to stick together? That would definitely solve the dice problem. But how to get close enough to use the glue? Not only that, she had Fortuna’s double to consider, too.

A tremendous crash made her jump. One of the other cards that had been part of Trixx’s temporary prison had been knocked down by her partner, hitting the Fortuna copy and causing her to burst apart in a puff of purple smoke.

One problem down, two to go.

Ladybug swept the area again, eventually settling on one of the benches knocked askew by Trixx and Chat’s earlier battle, and then the last remaining card made by Fortuna. Trusting Chat to stick with their plan, she hurried over to the bench and dragged it across the ground into place.

Fortuna paid her no mind, too distracted by Chat and her insistent need to get to Trixx, the kitsune still regaining his senses after being struck by his reflected fox fire.

“Chat!” she called after she was done setting up. Her partner quickly heeded her summons, nodding agreement to her abbreviated explanation. Not the smoothest plan she’d come up with, but there wasn’t much wiggle room with everything else considered.

Trixx was still behind them, too dazed to be a threat - the perfect lure for Fortuna to move into place. She rushed over the debris-strewn ground, hands lifted in readiness for another throw of the dice, when Chat and Ladybug shoved with all their might against the card still standing. It fell, slowly, then picked up momentum as it toppled down nearly on top of Fortuna. She shrieked, backpedaling, and tripped over the bench.

As expected, she threw her hands out to arrest her fall, dice clattering across the pavement... and she landed straight in the puddle of glue. “Urrrgh! What is this?” Fortuna raged, struggling to free her hands to no avail.

“This? The odds not being in your favour,” Ladybug quipped as she walked over to the akumatized woman. Searching her didn’t take long to find the object housing her akuma - a beautiful wooden dice holder stored in a fold in her dress. From there it was routine: breaking it, purifying the freed akuma, and restoring the damage sustained in the battle.

Most of the Trocadéro looked to be in rough shape, due to not all of it attributed to Fortuna’s battle. She'd reverted back to normal, a striking woman in her 30s with stylish dark hair and fancy black dress that spoke of her dressing up for a formal occasion. “H-how did I get here?” she asked when Chat and Ladybug walked over to help her to her feet, clutching the dice holder tightly as if it were priceless.

The superhero duo glanced at one another. “What’s the last thing you remember?” Ladybug asked her.

She gulped. “I remember being at the casino with some friends from work, and someone tried cheating at the roulette table. I told the clerk, but he didn’t believe me, and I just... I got so angry, and then I heard a voice in my head...”

A flash of orange and white fur preceded Trixx as he finally recovered enough to make his getaway. Chat made an angry noise, ready to chase after the kwami, but Ladybug laid one hand on his shoulder and shook her head, very slightly. _Let him go._ There would be another chance to corner Trixx, and it was better he had time to lay low and prevent a situation like this from happening again so soon.

“Did I do something bad?” the woman asked in a shaky voice.

“No,” Ladybug said gently. “Hawk Moth tried to use you, but we put a stop to that.”

“Then why is this place so...” She trailed off, gesturing. Chat looked around, confusion etched onto his face as he realized the extent of the property damage. Those questioning green eyes focused on her; she mouthed ‘later’ as her earrings beeped.

“This is definitely not your fault. More like... mine,” Chat said, wincing.

The woman uttered a nervous giggle. “O-oh. That’s good... I mean, that’s not good, but I’m glad I didn’t... uh, never mind,” she subsided upon seeing Chat’s expression.

“That thing you’re holding,” Ladybug said. “Is it something special?”

A smile lit up the woman’s face. “Yes. My great-grandfather carved this himself when he was just a little younger than me. It’s supposed to be lucky, so I brought it with me to the casino. It’s a dice holder, see?” She all but glowed with pride as she held it out for the pair to inspect. “My friends thought it was a bit silly to carry around, though.”

“Well, I’m sure your friends have been worried about you. I can escort you back if you’re concerned about your safety,” Chat said smoothly as Ladybug’s earrings gave another warning beep.

She looked at him, gratitude warring with her own concern; he was clearly more bothered about what happened before she’d arrived than he’d let on. He met her gaze briefly; she didn’t need words to understand the message that passed between them. She bid farewell to the former Fortuna as the woman was helped through the lingering debris by Chat, hurrying off to safely transform away from prying eyes.

 

* * *

 

“Why didn’t your power fix all that damage?”

Ladybug frowned at him, the question just tumbling out the second her feet hit the roof.

“Good evening to you too, kitty.” She waved off his murmured apology and stood next to him, crossing her arms as they took in the glittering lights of a Paris at night. “This is purely guessing, but I think the reason my Miraculous didn’t restore everything was because of you and Trixx fighting before I showed up.”

Chat had guessed as much in the time it had taken for her to power up again, but he remained silent to let her continue.

“Most of the time, my power fixes the problems related to whatever akuma we were fighting. We haven’t gotten Trixx’s akuma yet, so whatever havoc he’s wrought--”

“Will remain until we catch him,” Chat finished, shoulders slumping. “I should have been more careful when I saw him out in the open like that. He goaded me.” Something he knew better than to fall for, yet Trixx seemed to know exactly what to say to press his buttons.

“Goaded you? How?”

He sighed, running a hand anxiously through his hair. “What I’m about to tell you is gonna sound crazy. But give me the benefit of the doubt, okay?” he said, waiting until she nodded before continuing. “I’m positive Trixx is behind whatever is stopping me from transforming.”

Her eyes went wide, though to Chat’s relief she didn’t seem to find the idea completely preposterous. “Oooookay,” she said, slowly sinking down to sit on the edge of the roof. “I have a feeling I need you to walk me through what happened to make you come to that conclusion.”

 _Thank you for not just calling me crazy._ No amount of rehearsing it beforehand made it sound any less outlandish. Chat sat down next to her and started his tale, beginning with him out on patrol. A patrol that served a dual purpose to help him sort out his thoughts, which were becoming quite the tangled mess. He didn’t mention this to Ladybug as he spoke, seeing as how she was factored into them pretty thoroughly. Along with a certain sweet classmate of his.

“When I first got there and saw him, it struck me as weird. Maybe he was just looking for you. Looking back now, he might have been there looking for me instead,” Chat said, recalling Trixx waiting in plain sight as he passed through the Trocadéro. “Or he just wanted to get to you through me. I don’t really know.”

Chat paused for a quick breath, and to help figure out how to phrase what he needed to say next without revealing far too much information. “He mentioned using people with connections to you to bring you down, so you’d get a taste of betrayal like he had. And then he thanked me for helping his plans along with that. Even if it was ‘inadvertently done’.”

His initial reaction had been blind panic, thinking Trixx had somehow guessed who he really was. And, deep down, some part of him believed that. The kitsune had bragged about Alya, of all people - a connection Chat wanted to ask about, given her own link to Ladybug. It made sense Trixx would go after the owner of the popular Ladyblog, but there was something more personal than that at work, Chat thought.

_‘This revenge is only possible because of her. And how sweet it will be, striking Ladybug from where she'd least expect it.’_

_Trixx had laughed when Chat demanded to know exactly what that meant. ‘Foolish cat. I will use whatever, and whoever, I need to bring her down. The face of a close friend and ally? An innocent girl on very friendly terms with two heroes?’ A sly smile. ‘Or even the boy she's saved numerous times.’_

That smile made his blood chill. No matter how he ran the encounter over and over again, he came back to that fox-sly smile and felt a chill each time. It was also true Ladybug had come to his rescue while he was a civilian, often enough that his friends teased him about getting into trouble just to see her.

Not only did he have to consider what Alya had to do with Trixx, and possibly having his identity blown, but learning Marinette was of interest to the kitsune considerably complicated things.

_‘I could even use you, Chat Noir.’_

_‘Ha! You’d be nothing like the real deal. You could wear my face, but you would never be me.’_

_Another chilling smile. ‘When you’ve got powers like mine, anything is possible.’_

“Did Trixx mention any names?” Ladybug asked. Her face was pale under the mask, hands clenched on the edge of the roof.

“Only one.” He shifted, anxious for her sake and wishing he could give her some sort of buffer for what was coming. “He kept mentioning an ‘Alya’. And how she was his biggest asset.”

A harsh exhalation from beside him. Ladybug’s eyes were closed when he looked over, an internal conflict clearly written for him to see. “You don’t have to tell me everything, my lady,” Chat said, keeping his voice gentle. “All I want to know is how she could have gotten involved in this fiasco.”

“Anyone with a brain knows just how well versed she is in everything that’s Ladybug,” she said after a long while. “She’s the perfect target. I won’t lift a finger to harm any innocent civilian, let alone Alya. And he knows it.”

“So when he went rogue, he guessed the best way to learn more about you was through her?”

“It’s not just that,” Ladybug said weakly. “He’s using her, Chat. Someone who trusts me, looks up to me, considers me a friend. He’s using her to hurt me. _And it’s working._ ”

The way her voice cracked was like a wound struck against his own heart, and he immediately hugged her tight, hoping it would bring her even just a sliver of comfort. To his surprise, she turned her head so her face was pressed against his shoulder and stayed there. It cost him nothing to hold her like this, soothing her with affection when words alone wouldn’t suffice.

He understood why she was hurting so much - a feeling of helplessness. And it wasn’t just the responsibility of being a hero; Ladybug, at her core, was just the kind of person who would never say no to helping people. The knowledge that she couldn’t help someone who meant so much to her had to be tearing her up inside.

Coupled with her frustration at being unable to figure out his own problem and saving Trixx made for a potent mix. Chat was amazed she’d held it together as long as she had, only venting it out in brief instances like this.

“Circling back to you,” Ladybug said, voice muffled.

He couldn’t resist a grin. “My favourite subject! After you, of course.”

She laughed; brief, but hearing the sound lightened his heart. “Very funny. What exactly did Trixx say to make you think he’s the reason you can’t transform?”

 _Oh, nothing really. He just casually mentioned he’d use me to get back at you, and suddenly there’s a fake me walking around not long after he appeared. One that can fool not only my friends, but apparently my own father too!_ The last was a point he could concede was easy to accomplish, given that Gabriel Agreste was not the most hands-on parent. “Think about it, bugaboo. The night he turned up was when my problems started. Isn’t that suspicious?”

“Yes, but you said--” She sat up suddenly, nearly hitting him in the chin had Chat not possessed cat-quick reflexes. “People with connections to me... you know me out of costume, don’t you?”

Damn. “Sure, but lots of people do.”

“Not personally,” Ladybug countered. “Trixx wouldn’t just pick any random civilian.”

Double damn. Sweat beaded at the nape of his neck as Chat wondered how to back away from the edge of this precarious situation. “I want to say yes. I really do.”

Comprehension dawned seconds later. “Oh. _Oh._ Shoot,” she said. “I didn’t even think about what that answer might entail.”

“But,” Chat said, deadly serious as he leaned forwards, “if things start getting too dangerous, for either of us, I’ll make that call. I refuse to be the reason you wind up hurt, or worse.”

Lightning sparked in those vibrant blue eyes, and her mouth set in a way that Chat knew meant she wanted to argue. “As long as we’re both careful, we'll hope it doesn’t come to that,” she said sternly, tapping him on the nose. “Now, if I’m right, you believe Trixx has a bead on your secret identity. And whatever mojo he’s working to use it is the root of the problem, isn’t it?”

“Bingo, bugaboo.” Chat trusted his gut on this one.

“Even more reason to purify his akuma.” She frowned, deep in thought. “About Alya...”

He held up a hand, making sure to flash a softer smile instead of one full of his typical feline charm. “Trixx will probably gleefully backstab us if we protect him from Hawk Moth again, but I understand. Without him, there’s no chance of saving Alya,” he said, answered by her startled expression.

“You got it, chaton. We might have to make hard choices because of that.”

Unbidden, his thoughts wandered to Marinette. If Trixx went after her...

Promise or no promise, Trixx would regret making that very stupid choice.

 

* * *

 

It was only noon, but with Adrien absent, the day just felt like it was dragging. Marinette picked distractedly at her lunch, mind chock full enough to keep her from focusing on one thing for very long. Not even sleep provided an escape, piling on yet one more thing to her already sky-high list of worries.

“Hello? Earth to Marinette!”

A hand waved in front of her face, jolting her back to the present as she realized the hand belonged to Nino. “Mind if I sit with you?” he inquired, holding his own lunch.

“Y-yeah! Sorry about totally zoning out there,” she said, hastily moving her stuff to make room for him. Nino plopped down on the top of the stairs next to her, both of them eating in companionable silence for a few minutes. Nino eventually looked at her, solemn.

“You haven’t heard from Alya, have you?” he asked quietly.

Marinette put down her half-eaten sandwich, picking at the edges. “No. I’ve been checking her blog too, but it hasn’t been updated in a few days.” She knew he’d been doing the same thing. Both of them just hoping for a sign that Alya was alright. She knew better, and yet she couldn’t quite bring herself to squash that part of her that still held out hope.

“It’s so not like her to not answer her phone. I thought she’d just gone on an impromptu vacation with her family at first, and I didn’t worry that much,” Nino said. “Even when she’s mad at me, she always texts me back. With tons of little hearts... or angry emojis, depending on her mood.” He laughed, rubbing the nape of his neck.

Nino leaned back , looking up at the ceiling and absently tugged at his pair of headphones. “I just get this feeling something’s really wrong. Especially with that new akuma wandering around, y’know?”

 _Y_ _ou’re scarily close to the truth there._ “Yeah, I get what you mean,” Marinette said.

Even though he’d laughed, Nino still couldn’t completely hide the toll his worrying was taking - shadows under his eyes, being less talkative and lively, and equally as prone to zoning out in class as she was. Perhaps sensing her thoughts, Nino glanced over again. “I was... well, I was thinking,” he began, quickly checking to see they weren’t being observed before continuing. “I wanted to go over to her place after school. It didn’t really sink in until now, but I haven’t heard from her parents either.”

Now that got her attention. Marinette sat up straight, appetite completely gone. “What?”

“Her mom gave me her number, for emergencies, when we started dating. So when Alya went missing, I called her mom, and no one answered. Went straight to the machine. I can get Alya maybe not answering her phone - she’s either mad at me, or it’s dead. But her mom ignoring calls? It’s just too weird.”

That decided it for her. “I’m coming with you,” she blurted out. Investigating out of costume would be less conspicuous, for one thing. And she very well couldn’t ignore a huge problem like an entire family seemingly vanishing into thin air.

Nino flashed a grateful, if rather sad, smile. “Thanks, Marinette.”

 

* * *

 

The pair stood in the lobby of Alya’s apartment building, waved over to the front desk by a bored looking female clerk. “Can I help you two? Or are you just waiting for someone?” she asked in a cheerful voice, a sunny smile paired with it.

“We’re actually looking to get up to the Césaire apartment,” Nino replied. “Mari here lent her BFF Alya a textbook for school and totally forgot she needs it to study for a test we’ve got tomorrow.” He clapped Marinette playfully on the shoulder, just like they’d rehearsed. Without Alya, or anyone of her family apparently, they weren’t able to be buzzed in, and had to rely on playing on the clerk’s sympathy.

The clerk squinted at Nino before she let out an embarrassed laugh. “I almost forgot! You’re Alya’s boyfriend. It’s been a while since you came by last,” she said. “And I don’t know how I couldn’t remember you either. Marinette, right?”

Wasting time on small talk was making her squirm, but Marinette had to act for all she was worth. Bobbing her head enthusiastically, she then made a show of wringing her wrists. “Yup! That’s me. But I have tons of homework and studying to do, so I really need that textbook back, like, pronto.” A fake, slightly too high giggle. “Leave it to me to forget it until the last minute!”

Out of the corner of her eye she caught Nino wincing. To her relief, though, the clerk didn’t seem to find anything suspicious about it. “Well, I don’t know if I can let you two up,” she said, biting her lower lip. “Since her and her family left a couple days ago. Impromptu vacation, I think.”

 _In the middle of the school year? You can’t be that naive._ “Please, miss. If I fail this test, my parents are so gonna ground me for the whole summer,” she pleaded. “We’ll be quick, I swear.” Taking a page from Manon’s book, Marinette gave her best puppy dog eyes, trembling lip included.

She could see the clerk’s indecision tipping towards resignation, and the lady issued an inaudible sigh before allowing herself a very tiny smile. “Okay. Ten minutes at most, and make sure you lock the door behind you,” she instructed.

It wasn’t until they were standing outside the door to Alya’s apartment that Marinette almost burst out laughing, utterly relieved the clerk had bought their story. “You should try out for drama, the way you acted back there. Good job,” Nino complimented her, sounding genuinely impressed as he unlocked the door with his spare key and let them in.

Marinette waved her hand dismissively. “Nah, I can’t act my way out of a wet paper bag. But it’s not hard playing the forgetful type, since that’s what I really am,” she grinned, glad for even a small chance to be happy today. “And whaddya know - babysitting Manon paid off.”

“Etta and Ella have been practicing that look too,” Nino said, eyes crinkling at the mention of Alya’s younger twin sisters. “If they perfect it... oof.”

The apartment was empty, as they’d thought, and they split up to search for signs of anything unusual. Marinette headed into the kitchen, peeking in the fridge, noting what little food inside still looked fresh. A thought struck her as she closed the fridge door, and she pulled out her phone, quickly typing out a message.

_Hey kitty cat! How’s the food?_

She hit send, resuming her methodical search of the kitchen area until her phone chimed with a reply.

_Why? Did you almost burn down the kitchen again & need me to bring you a snack? ;3c_

Marinette’s lips twitched.

_Keep that up and I’ll sneak you some real cat food next time you visit. Answer the q!_

If she tried hard enough, she could almost picture him laughing.

_So mean :(_

_Tastes pretty average actually_

_btw if you did burn down the kitchen I won’t tell anyone, purr-omise!_

“Can’t resist that pun, huh?” she muttered, tucking her phone away. Just as well that she’d confirmed Alya’s mother wasn’t at work, and probably hadn’t been for most of the week.

She heard a door close just out of sight, preceding Nino as he walked into the living room, frowning. “No one’s here, but I think we both guessed that,” he said, low. “The only upside is it doesn’t look like anything bad happened. Maybe they had a family emergency to attend outside of the city.” He looked doubtful.

“It’s possible,” Marinette said slowly. She wasn’t sure either anymore. A visit from Trixx wouldn’t end in the apartment looking as neat as it currently did.

They left, Nino handing her a book before he went to lock the door. “Eh? What’s this?” Marinette asked, perplexed.

“We’re gonna have to walk by that clerk when we get down the lobby. I think she’d be a bit confused if we don’t have something to show for it,” Nino said with a wink. This earned him a laugh, Marinette thankful at least Nino had remembered that little detail.

They waved goodbye to the clerk as they passed and headed out the doors. Sunlight hit them directly in the face as they emerged outside, Marinette’s eyes watering as she partially turned in Nino’s direction. His face was almost unreadable, half obscured by the sunlight his hat didn't fully block. “Marinette?”

“Yeah, Nino?”

A pause. Then, “...I’m scared.”

Heart aching, Marinette hugged him tight, one friend comforting another. “Me too.”

 

* * *

 

She hurried into class moments after the bell rang, fighting back a huge yawn from yet another night of tossing and turning. Her fatigue was great enough that not even seeing Adrien back in class could perk her up for long.

Nino was in better spirits, talking quietly with Adrien, the latter sporting an uncharacteristic sour expression and gave mono-syllabic responses. This managed to pierce through the haze of sleep, Marinette scooting over in the seat to get a better look. Adrien’s arms were crossed in front of him on the desk, posture rigid. His whole body language just radiated tension. Nino caught her eye, one brow rising as if to say, _‘Do you believe this?’_

He cleared his throat. “How come you weren’t here yesterday? Your stomach bug come back, dude?” he asked.

Adrien seemed annoyed by the question, expression flaring briefly into anger before he clamped his mouth shut. “Yeah,” he said tersely.

Marinette scooted back, startled. Both she and Nino knew Adrien’s home life wasn’t the best, but it wasn’t often he was in a mood like this, where even simple questions appeared to tick him off. He didn’t speak for the rest of the morning lesson, something that even had Chloé, sitting across the row, shooting concerned looks his way. He ignored this, remaining sullen.

For once Marinette was hoping Chloé would act herself and cling to Adrien; brushing off Nino on a bad day was one thing, but if he did the same thing to Chloé, then something was very much wrong.

When the bell rang, Adrien made a bee line for the door, escaping out of the classroom before anyone registered what happened. Chloé peeled out of her seat and hurried out after him, Sabrina hastening to catch up. Marinette didn’t need to look at Nino to figure out what he was thinking, murmuring apologies as she shoved through their classmates at the door.

“Adrikins! You should totally come to the hotel today for some R&R with your most favourite person!” Chloé trilled. She’d cornered Adrien on the middle landing of the stairs, using Sabrina as a buffer to keep him from darting away. He was leaning so far away from the two girls that he was in danger of toppling right over the railing.

“No, thanks,” Adrien grit out, looking like he’d swallowed something distinctly unpleasant. “I’d really rather not.”

“Oh come on, you so need it. You look positively ghastly today!” Chloé looked him up and down, one hand resting against her hip. “I know what’ll make you smile - one certified, Ultra-Amazing Chloé Bourgeois Brand hug!” She reached for him, beaming.

_“Don’t touch me!”_

His voice cracked like a whip, loud enough that Chloé actually jumped back. Seeing his chance, Adrien dashed by the stunned blonde and Sabrina, dodging the other students who’d stopped to stare.

Nino gaped at the scene that had unfolded before them, a look echoed on several different faces. “What is going on lately?” he asked in a hushed voice. Marinette couldn’t help agreeing with that sentiment, too surprised by Adrien’s outburst to speak.

Chloé took a minute to recover, and when she did, she whirled around and marched directly over to Marinette. “This is so your fault! Adrien never shouts at me like that!”

“Excuse me? How was any of that my fault?” Marinette retorted angrily.

“I don’t know, it just... is! Utterly ridiculous!” Chloé exclaimed, muttering under her breath as she stormed away.

“Ugh, I have such a headache,” Marinette groaned, shaking her head. “I can’t fathom what goes on in her head sometimes.”

“I don’t think anyone wants to,” Juleka piped up from behind her. Marinette stifled a laugh.

“Never seen Adrien get that mad before,” Alix said. “Chloé annoys everyone, but he usually tolerates her... for the most part.”

“We all have bad days,” Marinette said. Something in her gut said this wasn’t an ordinary kind of bad day for Adrien. Or, interjected a small voice in the back of her mind, you glorified him so much that seeing him actually get angry is weird to you.

The rest of the day passed without any more bouts of anger from Adrien, who’d calmed down after disappearing during lunch, though he remained completely quiet unless addressed by a teacher. When he was first out the door again, moving fast, Chloé didn’t pursue him.

Unlike Adrien, whose face had been a stoic, emotionless mask, Chloé had kept shooting Marinette tiny dagger glares from across the room whenever a teacher’s back was turned.

Nothing came of it, other than providing a source of amusement in an otherwise unusual day.

Marinette had another surprise waiting for her as she walked outside, spotting a short old man hobbling towards the crosswalk that led to her place. A very familiar old man in a red Hawaiian shirt...

She was sprinting towards him before she knew it. He turned and smiled at her when she windmilled to a halt, relaxing his grip on his cane. “How was your day, young one?” Master Fu said, genial. Putting on a convincing show for passersby that he was just an ordinary senior citizien entertaining a youngster while out for a walk.

“It was... lively,” Marinette answered truthfully. "I'm still processing it."

“Hmm! Do tell me over a cup of tea at my place,” Fu chuckled, trotting off without waiting to see if she was following. Slightly exasperated, Marinette quickened her pace to keep up with him after quickly texting her mother that she was meeting a friend.

 

* * *

 

Chat Noir, meanwhile, was reeling.

He’d had it all planned out: surprise Marinette after school with an early visit, spend some quality time with her, even perhaps take her on a scenic tour of his favourite haunts in the city. When he knew the collège was due to release, he’d waited in place on a nearby building just out of sight, but close enough to see the students pouring out of the doors and search for her face among them.

First outside, beating the other kids by a fair margin, was his Adrien doppelganger. Head low and eyes averted, his double went straight to the car waiting for him and nearly threw himself inside, slamming the door shut so loudly that Chat heard it from his perch.

Huh. What happened to make fake Adrien so upset? His first thought had been ‘Chloé?’ It was strengthened by the expression on her face as she appeared shortly after ‘Adrien’ left, equal parts angry and sulky to match the stomping as she fled to her ride.

Chat shook his head. No, it wasn’t fair to blame Chloé, even if she seemed the likely culprit. She wasn’t that bad, when not around other people or fighting for his attention. Obviously his double was doing a poor imitation job, and probably snapped under the stress of pretending to be him. He swept that problem aside when he finally saw Marinette walk out, rising up with a silly grin on his face.

She was fine, he told the part of him that had spent the day subsumed in worry for her. He just had to wait until she went home, and then make his way to her balcony without someone spotting him to enact part one of his plan. But as he watched, Marinette darted towards someone nearing the crosswalk. The man turned with a smile towards her, Chat recognizing him instantly. Master Fu. The same man who’d helped him gain temporary water-related powers, and as Plagg later explained, was the Miraculous Guardian. He walked off after speaking to Marinette, the dark-haired girl hurrying to catch up to him.

Too many questions arose from that brief interaction. It had been friendly, the two obviously knowing one another. Why? How? When? And... did he follow? He couldn't shake the feeling this encounter wasn't random chance, not after everything strange that had been going on.

If he followed, he trespassed on Marinette's privacy, and if she found out, she'd never trust him again. On the other paw, if he didn't, the questions would remain unanswered to haunt him relentlessly.

_'We might have to make hard choices.'_

Ladybug's voice. This situation had nothing to do with Trixx, and yet her words lingered. Chat looked up in time to see Marinette vanish out of sight around a corner. Tracking her was a simple enough task. Finding out where Master Fu resided also proved a tempting idea.

Chat turned away. A hard choice, but it was the right one. Only time would tell if it came back to bite him.


	7. Sightseeing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After coming close to blowing his cover, Trixx starts some serious plotting. Master Fu shares some information with Marinette that could tip the odds in their favour, and Chat Noir does a little soul-searching.

Silence hung in the air like a heavy cloud, broken inconsistently by the gentle tink of silverware against the plates.

Gabriel looked up from his nearly finished meal, lingering on Adrien as his son picked disconsolately at his food. More than half remained, evoking a few different thoughts; was he sick again, or just not happy with this particular dish?

But Adrien’s pickiness seemed to have originated earlier in the day, Gabriel recalled. He’d come home from school with a barely a glance at his father before retreating to his room until dinner was called. Not totally unusual, given his son was a teenager. Or perhaps Adrien was upset with him for something, also not unexpected.

There was a certain fatigued air about his son, apparent in his very bearing: slightly hunched over, a posture that was ill-suited for even an informal dinner with just the two of them. Gabriel opened his mouth to correct him, then closed it, shaking his head; no use in giving Adrien more disdain for him over something as trivial as posture at the dinner table.

“Are you feeling unwell?” he asked instead.

Adrien lifted his head, green eyes meeting gray. He struggled visibly for a smile. “No, Father. I feel fine. It was just a long day, is all.”

“Anything you want to talk about?” Gabriel continued, setting down his cutlery.

He could easily read the indecision that flashed across his son’s face, the way his eyes appeared to darken. Gabriel had to thank Nathalie later; if not for her idea of a dinner for him and Adrien, he wouldn’t have realized how much Adrien seemed to be struggling the past few days. Guilt stabbed through him. He was Adrien’s only parent, and ought to have paid closer attention before it had gotten to this point.

But telling his son that he was sorry being a super villain was why they didn’t spend much time together was not something he could fathom doing.

When Adrien remained silent, Gabriel briefly pondered leaving this be. His son had every reason not to share if he chose to. But after another minute, Adrien finally said, “I’ve felt a little off since I was sick, and I guess today I felt it a little more strongly.”

“I can make some calls and get you in to a top physician,” Gabriel immediately offered. He might not be the mayor of Paris, but he had enough clout and connections to make his claim hold serious weight.

“You don’t have to!” Adrien protested, sounding mildly exasperated. He tried for a smile again, this one more sincere than the last. “It’s not a physical ailment, Father.”

This was extremely confusing. “But you said you felt off.”

“Yeah, but I meant more like... out of sorts. Haven’t you ever fallen asleep and then woken up feeling all groggy and weird? It’s kinda like that, but it stays with you all day.” Adrien made a face. “Or more like a phone that doesn’t get fully charged despite being on the charger all night.”

“I... see,” Gabriel said. He didn’t quite grasp it, just enough to understand Adrien wasn’t completely himself yet. “If you feel that way, son, would you rather stay home and get your lessons here until you consider yourself ‘better’?” Adrien insisting on attending school with other students was something he still disagreed with, deep down. He preferred Adrien stayed close, where it was easier to keep an eye on him, and keep him safe from a world that had already taken too much.

Adrien shook his head, looking shocked. “No! I’ll be alright, Father. I promise. I don’t want to miss any more school.”

Gabriel checked the time, then stood up from the table. He looked across as Adrien stood up as well, mind working. Then an idea, one that would work for both of their needs in the moment, came to him.

“I have some urgent work to attend to this evening. And since you are feeling ‘out of sorts’, I’ll postpone your scheduled activities until tomorrow. Is this agreeable?”

He could tell Adrien was barely trying to conceal his delight. “Sure, Father. I’ll relax, try to go to sleep early tonight.” He paused, then added, “You should too.”

“I should what?” Gabriel managed to keep the impatience out of his tone through a good deal of effort.

“Relax. You work so much, like you don’t take breaks. Ever.”

Taking breaks was a luxury he couldn’t afford in either job. He didn’t say this, instead inclining his head as if the notion of relaxation was under consideration. Bidding his son good night, Gabriel stepped out into the hall and made sure Adrien was out of sight before he made his way to his atelier.

Nathalie left as he entered, ordered to keep an eye on things in case Adrien needed anything. She would keep him away while his father was busy conducting his more... nefarious operations.

* * *

 

Out of sight, out of mind... or so Gabriel Agreste assumed.

Adrien watched Gabriel step into his atelier and Nathalie emerge shortly after, suspicions only rising higher. Gabriel had seemed a little too eager to cancel further plans in order to work, something the boy really should have picked up on long ago.

“I almost feel sorry for this kid,” Adrien muttered, eyeing Nathalie as she glanced over her shoulder at the door closed behind her, expression grave. “Some father. So quick to ditch him for work?”

A spasm ran up his right arm, ‘Adrien’ using his other hand to soothe it. These transformations were risky when he held them for so long, but he had to admit this particular one came with the perk of enough solitude to hide his true self while recharging. Left alone outside of the father’s assistant sporadically checking in on him? Perfect.

Borrowing a person’s form wasn’t without its drawbacks; he didn’t get very much information from their minds when copying them, just enough to mimic them to fool others, and it was prone to failing in patches when emotions spiked. He’d nearly blown it when the blonde twit tried touching him, a vicious spike of anger raking through and hazing over his thoughts.

The battle against Fortuna and the annoying super-powered pests had left him weakened and on edge, and that had bled over into his transformation despite his efforts. The boy was no constant ray of sunshine, from what he could discern, but the angry scowl he’d worn to keep anyone too nosy away had attracted the interest of the boy’s friends.

It was a mistake he couldn’t make again. And that meant moving up his plans a little faster than previously anticipated.

“Time to do a little... reconnaissance,” he mused, heading to Adrien’s bedroom and opening one of the enormous windows. Slipping out as his true self was child’s play at this point. He stealthily slunk away to blend in with the shadows, ready to begin his hunt.

* * *

 

_Earlier..._

Master Fu didn’t speak a word as they leisurely strolled back to his parlor, although he did hum an unfamiliar tune along the way. Marinette knew better than to pepper him with questions, regardless of the other people around, knowing she’d just be reminded to be patient. It was difficult to refrain, especially when she was full to bursting with queries.

Tikki zoomed out of her purse as soon as they were safely inside, greeting the Guardian warmly before accepting an offered cookie. Fu handed another to Wayzz when the other kwami emerged from hiding, and insisted Marinette also take one, as well as the earlier promised tea, before they all settled down.

“I imagine you must be burning with curiosity as to why I sought you out,” Fu said with a knowing smile, sweeping away some stray crumbs that dotted his clothing.

“Of course, Master. I’m so used to it being the other way around,” said Marinette, chuckling. “Did you learn something about Trixx?”

“Bravo!” He looked inexpressibly pleased. “It may not be a game changer, but it may be of interest to you nonetheless.”

Marinette felt her pulse quicken in anticipation, the girl sharing an excited look with Tikki before she returned her attention to Fu. “Any information is useful, Master. Even if it is small.”

The guardian clapped his hands together and took a calm, steadying breath. “Very well. I’ll start with this: in your last encounter with Trixx, how long did it take for an akumatized person to show up?”

She thought back to the previous night, one finger resting against her chin. “Umm... I wasn’t the first one there, but one showed up a few minutes after me,” Marinette said.

Fu nodded. “Wayzz and I have been thinking hard about this, and remember, it may not be perfectly accurate,” he warned her. “Our theory is that Trixx may not have been able to completely sever his link to Hawk Moth. One glaring reason has been staring us in the face the entire time: he still has his akuma powers.”

This made a good deal of sense, Marinette thought. Trixx must have found some loophole in whatever bound him to Hawk Moth.

“Unless an akumatized person, or kwami, willingly renounced their powers, the link ought to remain. And this leads into our actual speculation, in that this link is inadvertently leading the other akumas to Trixx.”

“But we didn’t see him the night of the three akumas,” Marinette protested. She was certain they were just hoping to blunder into him, though if she looked back at that night now with this speculation to consider... was it really so hard to believe he might actually have been in the area?

“Ah, but he could have been there,” Fu replied, tapping his temple. “He has the power of illusions on his side. Posing as a random civilian isn’t beyond the scope of what he’s capable of.”

It was a reminder of what Chat had shared with her, learning Trixx was willing to pose as anyone to get close to her. He could be anyone he wanted, she panicked internally. Even Adrien. And she’d be none the wiser. “So does... does this mean he might be copying someone at my collège?” Marinette gasped. “There were two akumas there in one day.”

“That may be simply a coincidence,” Fu admitted, his expression saying he very much doubted that. “A collège is a breeding ground for all kinds of emotions, and we both know how desperate Hawk Moth is to find Trixx again.”

She didn’t buy into the coincidence theory either, with what she’d learned these past 24 hours. “He has to be posing as another student,” Marinette said. _Even if I hate the idea of suspecting my friends._ "Everyone's so on edge lately. And some are acting strangely."

The Guardian leaned back, the motion attracting Wayzz. The turtle kwami hovered over and landed atop Fu’s head, eliciting a small smile from the old man. “Trixx could use that to disguise any slip-ups he may make while impersonating someone,” Fu pondered.

“Exactly.” Marinette let her gaze drop to her hands, scarcely noticing Tikki when her kwami floated over to offer comfort. She kept circling back to Adrien’s outburst earlier, wishing she be sure of her own judgment. The thought he could be Trixx in disguise was too terrifying to accept.

And that was what scared her the most - Adrien was her biggest weakness, both in the suit and out of it.

Her phone chimed, startling her. “Am I keeping you from your friends?” Fu asked with a knowing smile as she took out the device.

“Huh? No, no,” Marinette answered distractedly. “It’s just my maman, asking what I want for dinner.”

Tikki hovered over her shoulder to read the message before she laughed. “And to ask if you were hanging out with ‘that cute classmate you talk about so much’!” Marinette’s glare had no effect on her, Tikki quickly zooming out of range to giggle with Wayzz instead. “I’m surprised she didn’t tell you to invite him over!”

Marinette felt her cheeks heat. “ _Tikki!_ ”

Fu’s own amusement was clearly restrained for her sake, permitting only a light chuckle as he got to his feet. “To be young and in love again,” he sighed, pretending not to see Marinette inelegantly spluttering upon hearing this. “No need to be embarrassed, my dear. Love is a wonderful thing! And this boy must mean quite a lot if it evokes such a reaction, ohoho...”

“Not you too!” The dark-haired girl groaned, face in her hands. “I’ll probably burst into flames any minute now.”

“No need for that,” Fu said as he passed by, patting her shoulder. “We’re only teasing.”

“Ha,” Marinette responded as she stood up, following him to the door. “So is my maman. I can barely talk to Adrien most days, let alone today, without tripping over my words." _Or my own two feet._

Fu had paused by the door and waited there as Marinette walked past, his expression strange, as though the old man was mentally connecting the dots on something. Marinette poked her head back inside once she realized he hadn’t accompanied her out. “Master? Is everything okay?”

“Forgive me. I was wool-gathering, nothing more,” he answered, smiling. “Could I ask you to wait outside for a little longer? I need to discuss something with Wayzz. It won’t take long.”

Her answering smile was light; no reason to be suspicious. “Sure thing!”

* * *

 

The moment they were alone, Fu’s smile quickly faded. Marinette had revealed something that staggered him, a rare occurrence for the Guardian. “We have a grave situation on our hands,” he said, voice hoarse.

Wayzz hovered in front of him, concern for Fu evident in his eyes. “What do you mean?”

“Recall that the boy I entrusted the Cat Miraculous to is Adrien Agreste, Wayzz.”

“Who is currently stuck as Chat Noir,” Wayzz said, face scrunching up in concentration. It didn’t take long to have the turtle kwami gasping. “And Marinette said she saw Adrien at school today! Trixx couldn’t have...”

“He could, and he did. So Trixx is also to blame for Chat Noir’s situation,” Fu said grimly. “Posing as the boy she loves has the makings of a huge disaster.”

“So what do we do now, Master?” Wayzz asked.

He felt the agony of deciding the best route as if he were the one making it, despite the responsibility landing squarely at Fu’s feet.

Fu was silent for a heartbeat more, uttering a long, tired sigh. “There’s nothing we can do, Wayzz. Too much could go wrong.” It was not an easy thing to say. But he couldn’t tell Marinette about Trixx without giving up Chat’s secret, nor could he warn Chat about the danger Trixx posed to Marinette without giving up hers.

“Nothing?” echoed the kwami, drooping. “Truly?”

“Even if there was something, these old bones aren’t built for any kind of action but a brisk walk,” Fu said. “I’m afraid we have to stick to research and do our best to guide our young Ladybug through this entire mess.”

“What about the link with Trixx and Hawk Moth? Sooner or later, one of them is going to discover it’s still there,” Wayzz said. And one heck of a battle would ensue.

Marinette hadn’t said anything, but both Fu and Wayzz saw how tired she was from dealing with so many akumas in a short period of time. And each akuma increased the risk of Chat Noir resorting to Cataclysm, a drain on him that wouldn’t easily be replenished in his current state.

As long as Trixx was still akumatized, there would be very little rest for either superhero.

“She ought to let Chat Noir know about that link,” he finally answered. “Who knows? An akuma may lead them to where Trixx is hiding out so they can end this.” A fanciful notion, really. By this point, however, Fu was ready to embrace even the craziest solutions to resolve everything... peacefully, he hoped.

* * *

 

Chat was dozing lightly in the chair on Marinette’s balcony as he waited for her to return home. He started when he heard a door open, guessing it had to be Marinette; her parents had closed the patisserie a half hour ago to start dinner. Which he only knew because he'd caught whiffs of it from the open windows, appeasing enough to make even his full stomach growl.

He debated leaving while he had the time, avoiding potentially awkward questions about why he was lurking on her balcony. After she’d vanished with Master Fu, he’d gone on patrol to clear his mind, only to find the city in a shaky state of peace.

Tension was rife in the air, people expecting another akuma attack like they expected rain in the forecast. It saddened him how things had escalated so quickly to this point. Not even his classmates were immune, many not showing visible signs of strain, but that he knew were there from just overhearing conversations.

It was why Chat had wanted to wait for Marinette, offer to show her around Paris and take her mind off things for one evening. Alya being out of the picture was hard on both her and Nino, the latter of whom he hadn’t been able to visit yet.

If Trixx or Hawk Moth could ease up for one more day, I’ll go see him, Chat promised himself. The kitsune setting his sights on Marinette had kicked in his more protective instincts where she was concerned.

“How long have you been waiting up here?”

Her voice was so unexpected that Chat actually fell out of the chair with a yelp. He disentangled himself to her laughter as she walked out onto the balcony, cradling something carefully with both hands.

“Not that long,” Chat replied, avoiding a direct answer. She didn’t pursue it, simply shaking her head. “How did you know I was here in the first place?”

“You’re not as sneaky as you claim to be, kitty cat,” Marinette laughed again. “My maman said she heard a noise up here, but thought it was a bird or something. I had a feeling that wasn’t the case.” She held out her hands, between which was a mug of something hot and steaming in the crisp evening air. “Hot cocoa? It’s homemade.”

Chat gratefully accepted it, already feeling all warm and fuzzy inside before he’d taken a sip. “Thank you, princess,” he all but purred. She smiled as she sat down next to him on the chair, obviously content not to speak to preserve the moment.

He lifted the mug to his mouth and drank, eyes almost rolling back in his head - just rich, creamy chocolate at the perfect temperature. It took a lot of self-control not to gulp it down, despite wanting to ask her on what he was only now realizing sounded like a date. Just the two of them roaming Paris, showing her his favourite spots when on patrol with a sunset sky serving as a backdrop... yeah. That was pretty much a date.

And he couldn’t see a problem with that.

After all, Ladybug had made it clear she didn’t think of him romantically. Her behaviour the past few days had shifted, but it was possible he was reading too much into simple, friendly affection.

“Nothing beats homemade from your place,” Chat said as he lowered the empty mug, grinning at his company.

“Good,” she said with a rather saucy smile. “Because I made that cocoa. And before you ask, no, I didn’t burn down the kitchen. Much.”

It felt good to laugh like this, letting his worries fade temporarily into the background to enjoy the here and now with someone like Marinette. “If you’re not busy tonight, I have a proposition for you,” Chat offered, before his nerves deserted him.

Blue eyes brightened with interest. “Oooh! Like what?”

He stood up and spun on his heel, one arm grandly extended in the direction of the rest of the city. “Why, my dear lady, a most wondrous time!” Chat declared theatrically, using every considerable bit of his feline charm. “A truly delightful evening of one purr-sonal tour of the city’s secret sights with yours truly. It comes highly recommended, with glowing reviews. And best of all? No formal wear required - only yourself. One word and I’ll whisk you away!”

Marinette was valiantly trying not to giggle, using one hand to hide a smile he knew was there. “You could just ask me like a normal person, you goof,” she said, amused.

“Where’s the fun in that?” He winked.

“True.” She looked at him thoughtfully. “I’ll give you an answer if you answer something for me. Why?”

Chat wondered if she was balancing saying yes or no based on what he responded with. So he spoke from the heart. “Because I like giving you reasons to smile.”

Judging by the way her cheeks flushed and her smile grew even wider, it was the right thing to say. “Some one-on-one time with THE Chat Noir? How could I possibly refuse?” Marinette exclaimed as she rose to her feet. “Just let me tell my parents I’ll be busy with homework for a while.” She moved towards the skylight window, glancing over her shoulder as she was about to descend down into her room. “Thanks, by the way.”

“Don’t thank me yet, princess,” Chat replied, barely containing his enthusiasm. “The fun is just getting started.”

* * *

 

The large glass window was filled to the brim with colourful toys, much to the dismay of parents forced to walk by it, given that the business was a very high-end toy store. One such couple, out on a leisurely pre-dinner stroll with their daughter, passed by the brightly lit display. Mother and father dutifully ignored it, but the little girl was unable to resist the lure and dawdled behind.

She wore a cute hooded jumper, designed to look like a bear, even including ears on the hood itself. Clutched in her arms was a ragged plush bear who’d seen quite a few years of wear and tear, clearly well-loved. Yet, in the face of the much newer and bigger plush toys neatly displayed behind the glass, the bear was quickly forgotten.

“Adeline? Sweetheart?”

Adeline ignored her mother’s calls, focused on the biggest plush in the display - an enormous bear sporting shiny golden-brown fur and a gold-trimmed red ribbon tied around its neck, with the cutest face she’d ever seen.

“Ah,” Adeline’s father chuckled as he approached. “Now, Adeline, you already have a nice bear. You don’t need another one.”

“But he’s so old,” the little girl pouted. “Look how pretty that one is, papa!”

Her parents shared a look. This wasn’t going to be a simple task. “No, Adeline. Come, or we’ll be late for dinner. You don’t want to miss that, do you? Or your favourite ice cream sundae dessert?” her mother said.

Adeline shook her head, frustrated. “I want that bear!”

“We said no. If you keep this up, no ice cream for you.”

She was a big girl, almost ten, and she knew she was too old to be having tantrums. But they couldn’t understand how much better her life would be if she just had that nicer, newer bear that wasn’t falling apart each time it got washed. Her lips trembled, eyes filling with tears as her mother gently tried coaxing her away from the window. “Maman, no!”

Frustration bubbling over, Adeline tugged herself away and made to dash away from her silly, not-listening parents. Her freedom lasted for not even ten pitiful seconds before she was scooped up, red-faced and wailing, by her father, and marched down the street.

She sat on a bench outside the restaurant they were to have dinner at, her mother keeping a watchful eye as they spoke to the maître d'. Adeline sulked like she’d never sulked before, only relenting when a butterfly landed next to her.

“Pretty...” Adeline whispered, reaching out with one over-long sleeve dragging across the bench. The butterfly was a lovely purple, and it fluttered right onto her wrist instead of away. Not only was it pretty, but it spoke too.

_‘It’s such a shame your parents don’t understand what that new plush would mean to you, isn’t it? But there is a way to fix that.’_

“I dunno,” Adeline replied, eyes wide. “I’m not really supposed to talk to strangers.”

_‘I’m no mere stranger, little one. Think of me as your friend. One who can give you the power to make your wish come true.’_

Her wish...

Adeline risked a look at her mother, emotions rising up as she remembered how both her parents scolded her after they’d left the storefront. “Okay,” she said to the butterfly. “Am I gonna get some toys to play with?”

_‘Even better - you can make them yourself.’_

* * *

 

Marinette felt a little guilty lying to her parents, but it was for good reason, she argued silently as she trudged back up to her room. Even she wasn’t sure going out in the city with Trixx and akumas to contend with was entirely a good idea.

_You’ll be with Chat Noir. Can’t get much safer than with an actual superhero... even if you’re also one in secret._

“Marinette!” It was Tikki, emerging from hiding with an anxious expression. “I don’t think this is wise.”

“What part do you think isn’t wise?”

“All of it.”

“How many chances am I going to get where I can just relax and not worry about things for a while?” Marinette countered. “This might be the only break I catch until we deal with Trixx.”

Her kwami didn’t look convinced, studying Marinette closely. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Tikki sighed. “Just be careful, okay?”

They were words that stuck with her as she stepped back out onto her balcony, greeted by a crooked grin from the patiently waiting feline hero. “All set, princess?” he asked, extending one hand towards her.

She took it, feeling gentle warmth radiating through the leather-like fabric of his glove. It was reassuring, in a way. “Lead the way, kitty cat.”

Chat's tour was nothing she hadn't seen as Ladybug before, but each place they visited, he described why he loved returning to them. It made her stop and see what he did, and appreciate the simpler things - the serenity of a perch near Canal Saint-Martin, where the sound of the Seine could soothe an anxious mind; letting the hours tick by people watching by Champs-Élysées, or sitting atop the Tour Montparnasse building for an unparalleled view of Paris at night.

“I love this spot the most,” he said as they stopped on a roof overlooking Champ de Mars, the Eiffel Tower twinkling in the distance. “Seeing all kinds of people and kids passing through, catching a glimpse of the lives they lead... it makes me realize how glad I am that I have the power to protect them, so they can keep living without fear.”

“Paris is lucky to have someone like you looking after it,” Marinette said, gazing out over the mostly empty park. Twilight was in full swing, and people were either eating dinner or hurrying home. “You know, puns aside.”

He feigned a wounded look. “I wouldn’t be half as charming without them, and you know it.”

“Maybe they wouldn’t be so bad if ninety percent of them weren’t cat related.”

“You do remember who you’re talking to, right?” he asked, pointing at his faux cat ears.

Marinette’s answering grin was impish. “Sure I do - a real Ro-meow.”

Chat burst into laughter, an unexpected snort prompting Marinette to join in. Her heart felt lighter than it had in days, sharing a laugh with a good friend who was possibly becoming more than that.

He made her giggle with silly jokes, worried enough about her after an akuma attack to check her well-being, and gradually showed her a side of him she rarely saw as Ladybug. Beneath that charming, flirtatious attitude was someone who cared, and cared deeply with all of his heart. It made her wonder how much of his goofball persona was an act to stop people from looking beyond it.

Speaking of looking, Marinette mused as she watched Chat wipe at his eyes. She hadn’t seen it earlier, but there was a dark smudge just under his nose, right above his top lip. It was a chance to tease him like he often teased her, all in good nature, of course. “Hey, Chat?”

“Hmm?” he said, pausing to glance her way. Marinette took the opportunity to get closer to him, smiling innocently. Chat’s expression turned faintly suspicious.

“You’ve got something on your face,” she continued.

“Other than rugged good looks?”

“Can’t say this is doing anything for those looks of yours,” Marinette remarked. “Well, maybe... because that cocoa mustache is very cute.” She took out her phone and lifted it up, still feeling rather mischievous. “The internet is gonna love this, doncha think?"

“Don’t you dare. You’ll totally ruin my tough-guy reputation!” complained Chat, eyes narrowing. He could have easily wiped away the cocoa before she even opened her phone’s camera, which in itself should have given away his intention when he playfully lunged towards her in an attempt to snatch at her phone.

“Hey!” Marinette whirled away from his reaching hands, his momentum causing them to both stumble. They kept this up for some time - Chat darting around, Marinette pivoting in place, both of them laughing breathlessly until Marinette turned too fast, and Chat unexpectedly collided with her.

Their lips met in a brief, shocking instance, both freezing in place before one of them, Marinette wasn’t sure who, pulled back. “I...” she began, then stopped, no idea what to really say. Or maybe it was the look on his face, red-streaked cheeks beneath his mask making him look utterly adorable paired with green eyes gone wide, that made her pause.

She was reminded of that moment back in the hotel suite. At the time, the thought that Chat might actually like her had seemed unbelievable. Not so much now, the way he was looking at her making her heart skip a beat.

And there was no Chloé to ruin things when Chat drew her close, head bent low. Marinette felt heat surging into her face, but she couldn’t... no, didn’t want to move away. The kiss was soft, sweet, and a little bit shy; unexpected from someone normally as confident and charming as Chat.

It was unfortunately short-lived when Chat shifted to rest his forehead against her own, murmuring her name, and Marinette caught sight of an enormous shadow just past his shoulder.

“Kitty?”

His eyes opened, gleaming.

“I hate to be a spoilsport, but...” Marinette pointed. Chat reluctantly turned to look, both of them gaping as what looked like a gigantic plush dinosaur walked by, making a distressed noise as it went.

The park was starting to fill up with other plush toys of varying animals, enough to deduce there was an akuma at play, if the dinosaur hadn’t been a big enough clue.

Chat sighed softly. “I guess duty calls once again,” he said, clearly disappointed. “But first let’s find you somewhere safe to hide.” He was exceedingly gentle as he scooped her up and carried her away from the park, taking her far enough away that she knew he was worried about the akuma getting to her. Marinette caught his hand as Chat turned to leave, giving it a quick squeeze when he looked back.

“Don’t get hurt,” was all she could say.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he replied with a trace of his usual confident air. “I’ll come back for you as soon as I can.” Chat lifted her hand and pressed a parting kiss to it that made her melt before he finally left.

As luck would have it, he’d stowed her somewhere she could safely transform, although it took Tikki calling her name several times before Marinette could focus on anything but that earlier kiss.

“What exactly happened to you?” Tikki asked, exasperated. “You’re all giggly.”

Marinette uttered a nervous laugh. “N-nothing Tikki! Chat was just being his charming, flirty self is all,” she fibbed.

“Your lie would be a lot more convincing if you didn’t stutter,” replied the kwami. She narrowed her eyes. “Or blush.”

“THE AKUMA!” Marinette exclaimed. “We should definitely take care of that first, right? Spots on!”

* * *

 

Trixx’s senses were on high alert as he prowled through the park, sticking close to the sides where he could hide amongst the shrubbery in case of passersby. He’d considered visiting the bakery to look for the girl, but it was a bad idea with that annoying cat deciding to stick close. After fighting him alone last time, Trixx bore little intention of repeating the encounter, grudgingly admitting Chat was an adept fighter.

Especially when sufficiently provoked.

He’d made a detour through this park space to avoid detection while waiting for his power to recharge, giving him time to sort out his plans for the next few days. As the kitsune traversed the park, he became aware of an unusual feeling - like an itch he couldn’t scratch at the nape of his neck.

The same feeling that he’d noticed before Fortuna appeared, Trixx thought with a frown. He cast his mind back, recalling the sensation with the other akumas that he’d had close encounters with. Initially dismissed as some radar for the superheroes, if it was going off now and neither hero was nearby...

_“There you are!”_

Trixx froze as a figure emerged on the pathway, swinging huge arms. It was a young girl dressed like a stuffed bear, right down to a shiny ribbon around her neck, and her arms clad in what looked like enormous gloves that resembled bear paws. She looked right at where the kitsune was hiding in the shadows, face lit up with a cheerful smile. Any hope she was simply an ordinary child had passed when the unusual feeling grew in strength at her appearance.

“Ooooh! A fox! You’re so pretty!” the girl squealed as she walked over to inspect him. “I just got this weird feeling when I came here, and I followed it, and yay! A new friend ~”

He remained completely still, partly out of shock. That feeling was linked to the other akumas! If he could sense them, it obviously worked in reverse, and this opened an avenue of thought he had precious time to pursue as the girl approached.

A shriek issued from behind him. “That fox is going to attack that little girl!” cried a woman’s voice. “Call animal control!”

To Trixx’s surprise, the little girl skipped over to the woman and her companion. “No! He’s my friend,” she said earnestly. “And you can be my friends too.” She reached for their hands with her ‘paws’... and like that, they transformed. One became a cute plush cat with bright pink fur, the other turning into a plush penguin sporting a bow tie. They looked around, confused.

“Heehee! Aren’t plushies just the cutest? So soft and cuddly,” the girl giggled, turning towards Trixx. “You’ll be super-duper cute too!” She rushed towards him, arms open wide.

The kwami dove for the bushes, an instinctive reaction that wound up being the right move as someone else joined the fray shortly after - Chat Noir. Just his rotten luck.

“Something tells me you’re the one behind all these plushies roaming around,” the cat hero chuckled from his tree branch perch. The young akuma straightened up from her stumbling lunge at Trixx and wheeled to face him, pouting.

“I’m not gonna tell a meanie like you anything,” she said, sticking her tongue out. “Cuz you’ll stop me from having fun. My butterfly friend told me that!”

“It’s not nice to turn people into stuffed animals,” Chat said. “That’s no way to make friends.”

“I’m Toymaker - making friends is what I’m the best at!” She suddenly looked up at the feline hero with eyes gone shrewd. “Now I’m gonna make my friends help me. Get him!”

Her tone took on a commanding air, and her two most recent victims instantly obeyed, stalking purposely in Chat’s direction. Not the most threatening display, unless one noticed the other plush animals in the park arriving to heed her command as well. This was when Ladybug finally arrived, Trixx’s ears flattening against his head as she swung into action. So close, and yet here he was, stuck cowering in the bushes because of a little girl.

‘Toymaker’ was soon defeated, despite the aid of one rather large dinosaur plush, and the two heroes departed with the young girl to return her to her parents, freeing Trixx to make his escape.

The knowledge Hawk Moth’s little akumas could not only sense him, but unerringly track him down confirmed his worst suspicions - he still had some link to Hawk Moth. If the villain hadn’t realized the same thing, he would after this night. Trixx assessed his plans, calculating. He needed to stay out of Hawk Moth’s grasp or lose his chance at taking his personal revenge on Ladybug.

And that meant accelerating his plans even further. Tomorrow, Trixx vowed.


	8. Mind Games

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette opens up to Tikki, realizing she has some hard choices of her own to make. Hawk Moth and Trixx are both plotting - but who will succeed first?

She made it back with only minutes to spare; her saving grace being Chat Noir graciously offering to return the little girl who’d become akumatized to her parents. Tikki made a record-breaking dash into Marinette’s bag as the pair heard Chat’s booted feet hit the ground, the dark-haired girl spinning to face him.

“Everything okay?” she asked.

Chat nodded, expelling a tired sigh. “These akuma attacks are getting out of hand,” he said gravely. “And this one was just a little kid. You should have seen the look on her parents’ faces.”

The little girl, Adeline, hadn't appeared to be too traumatized by her brief akumatization, but it made Marinette ponder if Hawk Moth had finally grown aware of the existing link with Trixx and simply sent out an akuma that was in the vicinity. During the fight, she’d looked for signs of the kitsune in vain. Nor had he appeared once the akuma was cleansed.

Yet she couldn’t shake her suspicions that he’d been in that park with them.

“No kid should have to go through that,” Chat continued, frustration evident in his tone.

Marinette closed the distance between them, one hand rising to rest on his shoulder. “I agree,” she began. “But you came to her rescue when she needed it most. She’s not going to forget that so easily. You did good, kitty.”

She was rewarded with that crooked smile she adored. “You think so?”

“It’s what you’re best at.”

He chuckled, abashed. “Well, as much as I’m loathe to admit it, I ought to get you back home. It’s bad enough our evening was cut short by another akuma,” Chat said.

“You don’t need to apologize for saving the day,” said Marinette. “It’s part of the whole ‘I’m a superhero’ deal.”

“True,” he mused. “It’s a killer on one’s social life, though.” Chat turned around, gesturing for Marinette to climb on his back for the trip back home. The cool wind felt nice as they dashed across the rooftops under the stars, and too soon it was over as they touched down on her balcony.

Marinette hated to see him leave, but she had school to worry about tomorrow, and Chat couldn’t spend all his time with her, as nice as that sounded. “Thank you for everything tonight,” she said. “Even with an akuma interruption, it was just what I needed.” A small breather in the mess that was her dual lives.

“I’m glad to hear it,” Chat said. He reached down to grasp both her hands, the look on his face warming her. “You’re a special gal, Marinette. Tonight was one of the best nights I’ve had in a long time.”

She could no more stop blushing than she could stop the sun from rising every day. And this was sincere, not simply his feline charm at play. Before her nerves could desert her, Marinette stood on tiptoes to press an affectionate kiss to his cheek. “Good night, Chat,” she said, retreating to her skylight window.

Chat’s expression was endearingly goofy as he struggled to recover his wits. “Good night, princess.”

Closing the skylight as quietly as she could once he was gone, Marinette took slow, hesitant steps down to her room, straining to hear any sounds of her parents. She hadn’t been gone that long, but if either of them had come up to check on her... that conversation wouldn’t be pretty.

Unfortunately the other conversation waiting for her wasn’t going to be pretty either. Tikki didn’t say a word at first, zipping over to Marinette’s desk where she’d left a small plate of cookies for ‘study food’ to snatch one up.

No matter where she moved, Marinette could feel Tikki’s eyes boring into her, the girl doing her best to appear busy to stall for as long as possible. She quickly ran out of things to pretend to do well before her kwami was finishing eating, fidgeting nervously as she caught Tikki moving out of the corner of her eye.

“So,” the red and black spotted sprite said. “Care to tell me what all that was about?”

“What exactly?” hedged Marinette.

“’ _You’re a special gal. Tonight was one of the best nights I’ve had._ ’ After you spent half the evening alone with him?” Tikki said, shaking her head. “Getting involved with Chat Noir is not a good idea.”

“Why not?” Marinette protested, an edge creeping into her voice. “Is it because he's my partner?”

Tikki didn’t appear upset, or even angry, just gentle concern in those wide blue eyes. “I don’t want to see you get hurt,” she said. “He doesn't know you're Ladybug, and a relationship with you as Marinette entails a lot of secrets. The strain could be too much for both of you.”

Wind effectively taken out of her sails, Marinette sat down at the desk, chin in her hands. “I wish you weren’t right, Tikki.”

The kwami floated over, nuzzling Marinette’s cheek. “I’m sorry.”

If she wasn’t Ladybug, maybe, just maybe, a relationship might be feasible. But the strain of a double life, the lies she’d have to say, complicated matters. No matter how badly she yearned otherwise.

“I got to see a whole new side of him I rarely see as Ladybug. He’s got such a big heart, Tikki. And I feel awful that I turned him down that night with Glaciator,” Marinette sighed, that particular ache still a potent bruise on her soul. Not knowing the depths of his feelings until then, and still being utterly smitten with Adrien, she’d gently let him down.

“How could you know you’d wind up feeling differently?” Tikki reminded her, patiently. “You’re not omniscient, Marinette. And you were crazy about Adrien.”

“Were?” she echoed with a faint smile. “I still am. I never expected to my heart to get tugged two different ways.”

“You’re allowed to like more than one person,” said Tikki. “Dating is a different story.”

Marinette thought back to the kiss they’d shared, smile fading. Consigning it to be simply a memory was painful. Disregarding Tikki’s advice, however, seemed like the worse idea. Her kwami was only looking out for her.

And with Trixx still out there, it wasn’t the best time to be assessing her love life, or lack thereof.

“What do I tell Chat next time I see him?” She wouldn’t give him the cold shoulder, or drive him away; she’d already hurt that wonderful heart of his too much. Nor did she want to completely undo the bond they’d been steadily forging.

A considering look crossed the kwami’s face. “Well, you don’t have to say anything,” said Tikki. “Just don’t let things progress any further than they already have.”

If Tikki didn’t know about their kiss, Marinette was happy to leave it at that. “Thanks Tikki,” she said before yawning widely. “I’m beat. We both better get some rest, huh?”

\---

Waiting until Marinette had climbed into bed and her breathing evened out into that of sleep, Tikki settled down on the edge of her charge’s pillow with an inaudible sigh. It wasn’t often she felt an inclination to curse, a very human sentiment for the frustrated, but the events unfolding lately sure made her want to indulge.

First Trixx going rogue, then Chat, and by extension Plagg, getting stuck, and now learning Trixx was posing as Adrien - Tikki had spoken of the burden of keeping secrets whilst keeping a few whoppers of her own from Marinette.

Bad enough she knew precisely who Chat really was, information that would absolve Marinette’s romantic dilemma completely. It just wasn’t her secret to give away.

Tikki had been unprepared for Marinette to start falling for Chat, naively assuming there was nothing else than friendship between them. Friendship she happily encouraged, if only to help her better understand the feline hero. Too late did she realize recent events would drive them closer, Marinette's deeply caring nature coming to the forefront as she sought to ease whatever burden fell on her partner's shoulders, both in suit and out of it.

It was Trixx, however, that worried Tikki most of all. Being unable to reveal Chat’s identity impeded her from warning her charge about the fake Adrien. Earlier, at Fu's parlor, she'd affectionately teased the girl about Adrien despite the lead weight in the pit of her stomach, knowing immediately Trixx was playing her.

If Marinette’s life was endangered, Tikki was sure Chat would forgive her for revealing the truth. She could only pray that things wouldn’t get bad enough to resort to such drastic measures.

* * *

 

Long after the window to his lair had closed following the failure of another akuma, Hawk Moth wasn’t feeling the usual brand of bitter disappointment he’d grown accustomed to. Knowing he’d gotten close to Kitsune and been thwarted by the superhero duo once again did nothing to dim his nearly jubilant mood.

His elusive quarry hadn’t completely cut the bond that linked him to Hawk Moth, despite the lack of telepathic communication. All thanks to his latest akuma disobeying him. Toymaker had deviated from his instructions, her young mind still easily distracted, wandering in the completely opposite direction of where he’d told her to go.

No amount of stern lecturing had served to stop her, and it was her innocent explanation that abated the frustration that had been building.

She’d described a ‘tugging’ sensation, one that was drawing her to the park. ‘ _It’s really strong... I think that means I can find a strong friend to help me with Ladybug and Chat Noir!_ ’ Toymaker exclaimed with an excited giggle. And that was when she’d spotted the fox slinking in the shadows, Hawk Moth reaching out with telepathy to confirm for himself.

In the light of the knowledge that his rogue akuma could be tracked, even by a young child, he (grudgingly) let Ladybug and Chat Noir savour this victory. _Enjoy the feeling while it lasts_ , Hawk Moth mused. _I have the upper hand now_.

All he needed to do was be particularly choosy about who would be akumatized next. Children were easy targets, but were liabilities when it came to following orders; the younger they were, the less likely they’d listen. Teenagers were equally unreliable for what he required, too emotion driven.

Finding an adult with the skills necessary was going to be very difficult if he couldn’t reach them through negative emotions. His success with Zombizou proved he could manipulate positive emotions with a careful touch; only prior experience that negativity made it easier for Hawk Moth to goad his akumas into action made it more preferential.

As long as the akuma could track Kitsune better than a little girl, Hawk Moth wasn’t going to be too picky how he corralled them to his side, provided the superhero pests didn’t ruin his plans. He knew Ladybug, at least, was prepared to stop him from reclaiming his rogue asset by any means.

Add ‘stealthy’ to the list of prerequisites.

Hawk Moth allowed himself a short, rather sinister laugh. All he had to do was wait until Nooroo was recharged before he made his next masterful move in this shadow game of chess.

* * *

 

On time to class early enough that Miss Bustier hadn’t arrived, Marinette slid into her seat and waved at Nino, who returned the greeting with a small smile. The seat next to him was empty, Marinette beginning to frown, but Adrien walked into the classroom that very moment as though summoned by her thoughts.

Chloé looked up, then quickly glanced away, her face unreadable. Adrien sat his bag down on top of the desk and strode over to Chloé’s, the noise in the room abruptly dropping off as all attention turned to them.

“Hey, Adrien,” Chloé finally said, subdued. Marinette didn’t blame her after what had happened the day before. Sabrina busied herself with her phone, giving her friend a sliver of privacy.

“I’m really sorry about yelling at you, Chloé,” Adrien said in a rush. “I might not have been feeling well, but that’s no excuse for lashing out. It was wrong of me, and I completely get it if you want nothing to do with me for a while.” His gaze slid to his feet.

If anyone expected Chloé to leap from her seat and pounce on him with a hug, they’d be sadly disappointed. The blonde peered up at him, decided he was sincere, then shook her head with a slight laugh that set her ponytail bobbing. “Cut my dear Adrikins out of my life? No way,” she snorted, a trace of her usual self coming through. “Apology accepted. Just don’t go all uber-grumpy like that again without warning me.”

“Deal,” said Adrien with a relieved smile. He returned to his seat, nodding to Nino, and seemed on the verge of turning to greet Marinette when the teacher walked in and called them to order.

When lunch came around, Marinette found herself alone in the locker room, the last stragglers clearing out with eager voices. So when she closed her locker door and came face to face with Chloé, her startled yelp echoed nicely in the wide open space.

“What do you want?” she asked, immediately suspicious. This was the second time Chloé had cornered her this week alone, and it was already getting tiresome.

Annoyance flickered through bright blue eyes, Chloé visibly restraining from some acerbic retort. “Look. You don’t like me, and I don’t like you. But we have something in common,” she began.

Marinette didn’t bother concealing her doubtful snort.

Chloé rolled her eyes. “Bite me, Dupain-Cheng. Not literally,” the blonde snapped. “Adrien. We have Adrien. And I need you to help me figure out why he’s been acting so weird.”

_Oh boy._

“Okay, Chloé, what honestly makes you think I want to help you? After everything you’ve done to me and everyone else? You already said you know I don’t like you,” Marinette said, baffled.

“I’m not asking you to do this for my sake,” Chloé grumbled. “This is for Adrien. Even someone as dense as you should know he hasn’t been himself this past week.” Her cheeks reddened. “Sorry. I meant, um, you’re so observant of Adrien normally...”

“Cut the crap, Chloé,” sighed Marinette. She could feel a headache already starting to form. “Yeah, Adrien’s not been himself. But he was home sick all weekend, with some nasty bug. That would take a lot out of anyone.”

She took extra note of Chloé's body language, not putting it above her to throw on an act to garner some sympathy. The blonde's arms were crossed, not defensively, and she wasn't looking Marinette directly in the eye. There was no sneer present, but that didn't mean much.

Only her reaction to Adrien's apology earlier made Marinette even deign to hear her out. For all her clinginess and professed adoration of the Agreste boy, she genuinely cared for him as a friend, in her own off-beat way.

“I’ve known Adrien since we were both little kids,” she began in a low voice, looking off to one side. “Through good and bad times, we stuck together. I know him better than anyone here. Believe me when I say that his outburst yesterday was not normal for him.” Chloé uncrossed her arms, one hand idly toying with the end of her ponytail. “But he won’t talk to me. And the only other two people I know he’s friendly with are you and Nino.”

“Nino, sure, but me?” Marinette made a vague face.

A flicker of amusement in Chloé’s eyes. “What are the chances Nino would ever talk to me, let alone about Adrien?”

That made Marinette stifle a laugh. She could only imagine the response Nino would give if approached by Chloé. “Fair enough. I just don’t get why you think he’d open up to me. We’re not that close.”

“I take back my earlier statement. You ARE dense.” Chloé fixed her with a familiar scowl. “He likes you. Not LIKE like, which would be utterly ridiculous with me around, but he might open up for someone who didn’t grow up with him and knows most of his secrets.” There was a kernel of sense to be found - surprising considering who was saying it.

 _Can’t believe I’m even thinking of doing this_. “I can’t guarantee anything,” Marinette said. “But I’ll try talking to him.” She almost hoped he shot her down, despite one small part of her sitting up and protesting the idea, still mildly curious about the outburst. If Chloé, who legitimately knew Adrien best, admitted it was unusual, Marinette had to keep it under consideration while she remained convinced Trixx was posing as one of her classmates.

“Good.” The blonde spun on her heel, taking a few steps before she glanced behind her. “Don’t you dare tell anyone I asked you to do this unless you want to keep any hope of having a social life.” She left without waiting for a reply.

 _Aww, that makes me feel so warm and fuzzy inside_. Marinette shook her head. She wasn’t sure she’d ever be friends with Chloé, but maybe the other girl wasn’t totally irredeemable.

* * *

 

Waiting until the final bell rang was a slow kind of torture, Adrien thought as he glared at the time, willing it to go faster. He needed to leave before the girl did, to make his pursuit less obvious. She already reacted like a skittish deer when he spoke to her, attributed to the persona he was borrowing. A crush, perhaps.

Possessing feelings for the boy would either make convincing her to come along with him easier or much more difficult. He had to find some way to get her to relax in his presence, or else he would have to resort to his back-up plan, which came with its own boat-sized load of risks.

“You wanna hang out for a bit before your dad wants you home?” Nino whispered, eyes on the teacher to ensure he wasn’t scolded.

Adrien stifled a flash of annoyance. This Nino was important to the boy and Alya both, but the kitsune wasn’t too keen on him, viewing him as a potential enemy who would keep Alya away. “I’ve got other plans today. Maybe Saturday if my schedule isn’t too full?”

A blatant lie; he was amazed the boy wasn’t a caffeine addict with how many tiring activities his weekends were stuffed full with.

“Sure dude, that sounds great,” Nino replied, shooting him a thumbs-up. He faced the front of the room again, giving Adrien a chance to frown in his direction. So easily accepting... was it an act to lull him into a false sense of security, or just the response of a friend used to being politely brushed off? His paranoia had only grown from last night’s discovery, viewing everyone with suspicion.

The bell rang to his utmost relief, freeing him from the shackles of social norms humans insisted upon. He hurried through the door before everyone else, dodging gracefully around the other students as they emerged from various doors. Adrien knew he would beat his target outside, but he kept an eye out for her anyways, just on the chance she was in a rush to get home, where she would be under the watchful eye of her cat friend, and thus out of his reach.

Nino waved farewell as he exited the collège, blending into the other pedestrians on the sidewalk. He lifted one hand in return, dropping it just as quick, glad for one possible problem to be out of his fur.

A look up the traffic-packed street showed his driver was on the way, far enough back that he had some time to engage the girl and not be interrupted. Adrien also scanned the tops of the buildings, including her balcony, satisfied when he didn’t catch sight of the pesky cat. He had a knack for showing up at inopportune moments after all.

There. She came down the steps, attention focused on her phone. Adrien casually back-tracked towards her, calling her by name and causing her to stop just shy of bumping into him. “A-Adrien! I’m sorry, I didn’t even see you there,” the girl - Marinette - said with a nervous giggle.

“No worries,” he said, a light-hearted grin sliding into place. The effect was instantaneous - her cheeks went pink, and she became suddenly unable to hold his gaze for more than a few seconds. “I actually wanted to talk to you before you go home.”

“Really?” She appeared amused by this. “I wanted to talk to you too.”

That was an interesting coincidence. “About what?” he prompted, figuring it would be better to prepare himself on the go than be blind-sided later.

Marinette drew in a quick breath, visibly steeling herself. “Well, it’s about, uh,” she started, fidgeting with her hands. “It’s yesterday! I m-mean, what happened yesterday. I just wanted to see if you were really okay.”

He wanted to curse himself again for slipping up so badly, woefully unprepared for how long lasting the consequences were. “If I worried everyone yesterday, I’m really sorry,” Adrien said. “My fault for keeping stuff bottled up like that. It all simmered up at once.”

“Ah.” Her eyes were troubled. “Did you want to talk about it? Just so you don’t get to that point again. I doubt I’ll be super helpful, but I’m a great listener!”

On the verge of declining her offer, the kitsune hesitated, then grinned inwardly. This was perfect. “Well...” Adrien said, schooling his features to appear thoughtful. “That would be great.”

“Really?” Marinette squeaked, clapping a hand over her mouth to stifle the noise.

He laughed, not needing to fake his amusement. “Yeah! I was actually gonna invite you over, maybe talk fashion for an upcoming show my father arranged. But I don’t mind doing some venting instead.”

Something appeared to click into place, and her blush deepened as a result before she shyly asked, “Just the two of us? Alone? At your place?"

Now was the time to lay on the charm, starting with one camera ready smile. “That’s not a problem, is it?”

Her expression was one he’d seen before on random passersby - dazzled.

Perhaps he’d underestimated the allure this boy had on people. Some people, fans as the father’s assistant labeled them, went crazy over just his mere presence. It was utterly baffling to the kitsune, whose instinctive reaction to snarl and drive them away would be highly frowned upon - another reason to quickly give up this charade before it led trouble right to his door.

“Of course not!” Marinette giggled, the lapse between his query and her answer giving away the lie as she spoke. “But I... kinda have other plans.”

Adrien had to work hard to keep the smile from sliding off. Not quite a wrench thrown into his plans, but a speed bump he disliked having to deal with all the same. “Tonight’s the only night I have some freedom, since my weekend’s jam-packed. Please?”

She didn't answer right away, biting her lower lip. Adrien briefly closed his eyes. This was his last chance to charm her into agreeing, so it was all or nothing. He reached out for her hands, gently snagging them before opening his eyes and painting an irresistible smile on his face.

Instead of one swooning classmate, Adrien instead found himself staring at the imposing bulk of his bodyguard, the man looking unmoved even in the face of his heart-stopping grin. Adrien belatedly realized the hands he’d grabbed were also that of his bodyguard, uttering a short yelp of surprise as he dropped them and hastily backpedaled a few feet away.

Marinette edged out from behind the man, peering past him at Adrien. “I’ll have to take a rain-check on coming over, since it looks like your weekend is starting early,” she said. She did sound disappointed, the kitsune noted, and oddly relieved at the same time. What a strange girl.

“I’ll see you on Monday,” sighed Adrien, allowing the bodyguard to herd him to where the car idled.

With a bit of luck, he’d be seeing her much sooner.

* * *

 

Marinette tripped as she rushed up the staircase to her room, grimacing as she bashed her knee against the steps. Her hands shook as she fumbled open her bag to let Tikki free.

“Adrien wanted me to come over to his place! Just the two of us!” she blurted out the second her kwami appeared. “Me! Alone! With Adrien!!!”

She seized a throw pillow from her chaise and buried her face into it to muffle her slightly hysterical squeal.

“Calm down Marinette!” Tikki exclaimed, startled.

She gulped in a few short breaths, still feeling jittery. “Sorry, sorry. I’m still trying to get it through my head that he wanted to be alone with me and I... said no.”

“Huh? Why not? That’s the kind of chance you’ve been dying for!”

“I know!” Marinette groaned, throwing herself into the chair at her desk. The room revolved briefly with the motion. “It was the perfect chance to ask him about his outburst the other day, too."

Tikki zoomed over, alarmed. “Outburst?”

Marinette nodded. “He totally flipped out and yelled at Chloé when she tried to hug him,” she said. She didn’t mention that it was Chloé who’d asked her to question Adrien, something Tikki would probably frown at. “It seemed so out of the blue for him, and I was gonna try talking to him about it. See if anything strange was going on." She uttered a short laugh. _Talking to him one on one without anything else to use as a conversational buffer, yeah right_.

“Hmm..." Tikki trailed off. “You don't think it was simply stress that made him act like that?”

“That's just it - I'm not sure. My mind’s all jumbled.” She felt cold all over at the thought of Trixx posing as Adrien, if only because it conjured up all kinds of horrible ideas of what happened to the real Adrien.

Tikki perched herself on Marinette’s shoulder, one small arm touching her neck. “I’m sure Adrien is fine,” she said, like she’d picked up on the source of Marinette’s distress. “You probably just panicked because your crush invited you to his place, and you weren't prepared for that.”

“Panicked is too weak a word. More like _COMPLETELY LOST MY MIND_.” Marinette spun so she could put her elbows on the desk and her chin in her hands. “I’m not sure I’d actually be able to get the words out even if I wanted to say yes. I remembered I still have to tell Chat Noir about the whole Trixx being tracked thing.” Her civilian love life paled in comparison to alerting her partner of a way they could also use to find the rogue kwami.

She didn’t like the idea of waiting for an akuma to appear, but they had no other leads on Trixx’s whereabouts. Only vague suspicions, one of which she could scarcely bring herself to believe might be true.

"You made the right choice, even if it doesn't feel like it,” Tikki said, smiling comfortingly at her charge. “Once Trixx is back to normal, I’m sure you’ll get a lot more chances to spend time alone with Adrien.”

Marinette laughed and drew Tikki into the palm of her cupped hands to nuzzle the kwami. “Nah, once this is all over, I’m going to sleep for a week. Two.”

* * *

 

Chat crossed his arms. “I don’t like this.”

“Neither do I,” Ladybug sighed. “But I don’t have any ideas where he could be hiding.”

The revelation Trixx could be tracked was surprising enough. Waiting on an akuma victim to lead them to the kwami was something he vehemently opposed; they were supposed to protect the people of Paris, not use them.

“Scratch that - I really don’t like this,” he grumbled.

“What else can we do?” She met his gaze, eyes reflecting the same emotional turmoil he was experiencing. “The only alternative would be pretending to surrender my Miraculous to him to lure him out. That’d make Hawk Moth’s day, getting my earrings and Trixx in one fell swoop.” The last words came out with a sarcastic twist.

Add one more thing to the list of stuff Chat really didn’t like.

“Let’s not do anything rash,” Chat said, startled she’d considered the idea in the first place. He already felt antsy enough about what he wanted to confess, and she’d inadvertently added more to his overloaded plate. “I can ramp up my patrols. Go all night if I have to. Anything to not resort to either of those plans.”

Ladybug’s smile was more than a little sad. “You’re not invincible, _chaton._ Do you want to wind up out cold for a month when you can finally transform back because you ran yourself ragged?”

“There’s not much I wouldn’t do for you.”

“ _Kitty_.” No admonishment in her voice, having grown used to this sentiment from him. “If you’re sidelined, who’s going to watch my back?”

“Me-owch, that’s a bit low,” Chat complained.

“You worry about me all the time. I’m allowed to do the same right back at ya.”

 _You can do that without going for my pride_. He didn’t begrudge her, knowing she meant well and that the feeling was sincere. In fights, he was always the one making sure Ladybug could do her thing by protecting her, a risk he was happy to take for her sake.

She cared enough to worry about him in return, evoking a warm, rather fuzzy feeling inside. It also reminded him that she wasn’t the only one who cared.

Time to fess up.

Chat steeled himself, turning to face his partner. “Bugaboo?”

“What is it?”

Where to start? “A hypothetical question for you,” Chat said, struck by inspiration. “What if I liked another girl?”

A number of emotions seemed to flash across her face, too quick to discern. She settled on concerned. “You remember what I told you the night Glaciator attacked,” Ladybug said, a slight hitch in her voice. “If you’re beginning to like someone else, I wouldn’t stop you.” A slight grin. “This is all hypothetical, of course.”

“Let’s pretend I’m not speaking hypothetically, then.”

Open surprise, Ladybug’s calm composure briefly falling apart. Chat stared, unable to make heads or tails of her reaction. “Oh,” she breathed. “L-like I said, it’s fine, _chaton_. You don’t need my permission.”

Now he was extremely confused, if he hadn’t imagined that faint tremor in her voice. “I was thinking more or less of not having it be an unpleasant surprise if you found out on your own,” he said, watching her carefully. _Just on the off chance you wake up one day and realize you do love me back._

“Unpleasant?” She shook her head. “I’d be surprised, but I wouldn’t be upset. So, who’s the lucky girl?”

“I’m not telling you,” Chat replied with a distinctly feline grin. “You’d probably go scare her off from dating your favourite cat.”

“I would not!”

“You totally would. Drop in all nonchalant, make small talk. Then suddenly you bust out ‘ _8 Simple Rules for Dating Chat Noir_ ’.”

“’Must be able to tolerate cat puns’ is number one,” Ladybug said dryly.

Chat chuckled, shaking his head. “Then you’ve already passed that one. Next rule?”

“’Doesn't mind one declawed cat’.”

The unfamiliar voice had both of them whirling round, the speaker a sharply dressed man adorned with a billowing cape perched on top of a stone gargoyle. The stranger had pallid skin and a lean, angular face, but nothing else stood out beyond a clunky looking bracelet on his left wrist.

“Nice to meet you at last, Ladybug and Chat Noir. I am Maître de Roche,” he said, bowing to them. “I’ll be your entertainment for the evening.”

“Maître de Roche? Bit of a weird name. Is it foreign?” Chat inquired, not needing to look to know Ladybug was moving in as well.

His question was meant to provide a small distraction, de Roche smirking at receiving it. “Tut-tut, you ought to try harder than that, alley cat. Come forth, my stone friends!” he exclaimed, raising his left arm. The bracelet emitted an unusual sound, to which the gargoyle de Roche stood upon responded with a terrible, grating cry.

Two more gargoyles swooped in from above, dropping down so suddenly there was little time to react. Chat leapt back as reaching claws passed scant inches from his face, unlatching his baton to parry the statue’s attacks.

A quick extension of his staff sent the thing hurtling off the side of the building, buying him a window of time. Chat looked around anxiously, belatedly noticing he hadn’t heard any other sounds of combat, and went numb with shock as he saw the bigger gargoyle pinning Ladybug to the rooftop.

It was crushing her, one hand on her throat, its heavy stone body keeping her from moving.

Chat didn’t hesitate as he threw himself forwards, hand already lifting as he dashed the few feet that felt like miles. “ _Cataclysm!_ ”

The drain on his strength was immediate, but it was worth it to slam his claws into the statue and make it shatter apart. Ladybug wheezed as she desperately gulped in air, Chat brushing fragments of stone from her shoulders as she sat up. “Are you alright milady?” he pleaded, heart still racing from sheer panic.

“Yes, thanks to you,” she replied in a rough voice.

Fury rising, Chat fixed Maître de Roche with a glare so ferocious it actually caused the akuma to stumble back.

“Now if you just hand over your Miraculous, I won’t need to resort to such crude methods,” de Roche said, regaining some of his composure when the smaller gargoyle back into view and landed next to him.

“Go ahead and try,” Chat responded, feeling bold thanks to a potent blend of anger and adrenaline. “Throw as many of those statues you can summon at me. There’s a lot more where that came from.”

“Chat!” Ladybug protested, shocked.

He knew what using Cataclysm again would do to him, but he kept seeing her pinned down by the throat, scrabbling weakly at the stone arm. Rational thinking wasn’t an option right now.

A harsh tug on his arm, Ladybug stepping into his line of sight. “No, _chaton_ ,” she breathed, one hand pressed against the side of his face. “I’m okay. There’s no need to go crazy. We’ll just handle this like any other akuma.”

Chat forced himself to even out his own breathing, leaning in to her anchoring touch. This would be a perfect moment without the akuma in the equation. “Lead the way, milady,” he finally said, gazing into those steady blue eyes he adored.

She nodded, flashing him a fierce smile as distant cries winged their way towards them.

* * *

 

Across the city, another akuma was about to wake.

Luke, a police officer, sat on the edge of his favourite recliner, head in his hands. He’d messed up big time earlier that day. Not only had the suspect he'd been pursuing gotten away from him, but he'd been hauled in and chewed out by his superiors. It didn't matter the suspect had been apprehended later, all his bosses cared about was his failure.

A cold, wet nose brushed his hand, belonging to his canine partner, Radar. Luke mustered up a smile, scratching Radar between the ears to the dog's tail-wagging delight. “Hey, buddy.”

He could have lived with getting a verbal scolding, or even desk duty for a while. But what made him clammy and cold all over was the implication that they’d re-assign Radar to someone else. Radar was his best friend, had been for years.

Wrenched back into fresh misery, Luke sank into the chair. Radar laid his head on Luke’s lap, only to snap it back up when his keen hearing picked up on a faint fluttering. He whined anxiously as a purple butterfly flew into the room and landed on Luke’s police badge.

_‘The sorrow of parting is a hard burden to bear indeed. What if I offer you a way to negate that?’_

Luke swallowed; there wasn’t an officer in Paris who didn’t know of Hawk Moth. “You can’t fool me. I’m an officer of the law.”

_‘What I require from you isn’t breaking the law - although it will require some flexibility. And best of all: you won’t be separated from your best friend. If you would rather give him up, however...’_

He knew better than to give an inch with the supervillain, but he couldn’t help it when Radar was brought up. A future without his dog was too bleak to consider. “What do you need me to do? Track down those two heroes?”

Hawk Moth’s delighted laugh filled his mind. _‘No, I know precisely where those two pests are. I need you to track down a more elusive quarry, quickly.’_

Luke’s record at hunting down suspects who’d gotten loose was one of the best at his precinct, outside of his error today. When in sync with Radar, they were an unbeatable duo. “Not much of a challenge with Radar and me on the case. I accept.”

_‘Excellent! Seeker, awaken now with your friend and begin the hunt.’_

Purple energy poured out over him, engulfing Radar as well. He rose from his seat, renewed, stroking the head of the shadowy hound that stood by his side, and strode to the door to follow the faint ping against his enhanced senses.


	9. Truth and Despair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The latest akuma leaves Chat and Ladybug wondering if there's something else at play. Marinette has a fun day ahead of her, with some unexpected twists. Seeker finds his prey, but the revelations that arise may not please his master...

Maître de Roche proved laughably easy to defeat, despite his ability to call forth his stone gargoyles. It was made easier by where the akuma hid in his out of place bracelet, leaving Ladybug to wonder why Hawk Moth had even bothered sending this one.

An akuma spontaneously showing up demanding their Miraculous; the usual song and dance they’d gone through many times before. With Trixx in the picture, however, it was a strange move for the supervillain.

She rubbed her throat absently, internally wincing at the memory of the gargoyle’s crushing weight. A threatening akuma, sure, but with one angry cat keeping the rest at bay, she was left feeling uneasy about the entire ordeal. Ignoring her beeping earrings, Ladybug turned to study Chat as he spoke to the formerly akumatized man, face partially lit by the waxing moonlight.

Outwardly, her partner didn’t appear to be enraged with his carefully neutral expression. It was in the way his shoulders were set, tense enough to snap, that belied his calm state. And when he glanced her way, eyes meeting for one brief second, it was answer enough how bright those green irises still burned.

She motioned him over, urgently; no time to waste with another warning beep issuing from her Miraculous.

“I think this was all a trick,” she said after they moved out of hearing range.

“This akuma, you mean?”

“Yeah. He wasn’t that difficult compared to some of the other akumas we’ve fought recently,” Ladybug continued, ignoring the phantom sensation of abrasive stone claws that arose as she talked. Chat’s face also said he disagreed. “Hawk Moth could be baiting us to keep us from looking for Trixx.”

“There’s no way he knows we’ve figured out his akumas can track Trixx,” said Chat, brow furrowing as he thought hard. “But I wouldn’t put it past him to distract us.”

“And he damn well knows we won’t leave an akuma to have a merry little rampage.” Frustration rippled through her. It wasn’t just duty as a hero of Paris, but her innate desire to help people. Especially those who were akumatized. No matter how much she longed to track Trixx to save him and Alya, she would never walk away from freeing others from Hawk Moth’s grasp.

Chat’s hand squeezed her shoulder with surprising tenderness, despite the anger that was still riding him. He flashed a smile when she looked over. “Don’t beat yourself up too hard, bugaboo,” he said softly. “If you get a chance to follow one to Trixx, I’m sure I can handle an akuma by myself for a while.”

It was a generous offer, one that she didn’t consider for a second regardless of the kindness that prompted it.

“No,” Ladybug murmured. “Look what one Cataclysm did to you tonight, Chat. I won’t leave you in another situation that puts you at risk.” She gestured to his right arm. It hung limply against his side, Chat complaining earlier of a strange, numbing sensation that ran from his wrist to elbow following the battle’s conclusion.

He smiled again, this one full of steel. “No arguing with me, milady. My choice. Your time is almost up anyways.”

She scowled heartily at him. “This argument isn’t over,” she said in a heated tone.

“And I look forwards to winning it next time,” he replied, completely unrepentant with that cheeky smile. He leaned forwards to brush the lightest of kisses against her cheek, anger melting to affection in his eyes as he stepped back. “Stay safe for me, alright?”

Ladybug gaped wordlessly at him, wishing she had only a little more time to react properly to all that as she hurled her yo-yo skyward and zipped back home.

\--

The moment Marinette finally collapsed into bed, she fell asleep mere seconds afterward. When morning came round, Tikki’s pleas finally pierced the veil of exhaustion that her phone alarm and calls from her parents had failed to achieve.

“Whazzit?” she said, partly muffled by the pillow she’d face-planted into.

“I said your phone has been going crazy,” her kwami replied. “Someone’s been sending you a lot of texts.”

Blinking back sleep from bleary eyes, Marinette let out a huge yawn as she reached for her phone. Whether it was from fatigue or her own disbelief, it was a solid minute before what she was reading sunk in. “OH NO! I need to find something to wear!”

She nearly fell in her eagerness as she scrambled out of bed, attacking her wardrobe with a manic expression.

“Are you okay?” Tikki asked as she watched, bemused.

“Socks, socks, I need socks,” Marinette chanted as she moved through her room like an energetic tornado.

The kwami sighed. “Marinette!”

She paused in the midst of drawing one sock onto her hand, mind several miles away. “I’m kinda busy Tikki!”

Tikki looked at her hand and giggled. “I see that, but what’s got you in such a tizzy?”

Marinette glanced at her sock-adorned hand and smacked herself in the forehead with it. “Apparently Adrien invited me to come visit his photo shoot,” she said, visibly excited. “Not just me, but everyone from our class too!” Most of the texts on her phone after Adrien’s were from Mylène, Juleka and Rose, demanding to know if she was going to show up.

They all supported her endeavours to win Adrien’s affections, and knew this was a great opportunity to further that cause. Not even knowing Chloé would be there put a damper on her jubilant mood.

Taking the sock off, Marinette forced herself to calm down a little. It was just a casual picture, with most of her friends there. And Adrien. Totally no need to freak out.

Her phone chimed with another text, Marinette snatching it up to read it. “Alix is going too! I really need to find something,” she groaned, surveying her clothes, randomly seizing an armful of stuff and carrying it over to her desk to sort through. “What about this?”

“That’s a nice shirt,” Tikki agreed, settling on the edge of the desk as she tried to stifle her laughter. “It would look better if you weren’t trying to wear it as pants though.”

* * *

 

An hour and a half later, following finally settling on a choice of attire and whizzing through her weekend chores, Marinette escaped into the bright sunshine of a lovely Saturday. Alix and the other girls, who had gathered outside her parent’s patisserie, razzed her good-naturedly about being on time for once.

The location of the shoot wasn’t too far a walk, the time quickly eaten up as the group chatted excitedly amongst themselves. Marinette sighed inwardly despite her good mood; Alya would have loved knowing Adrien had invited her first.

Arriving at a spot not far from the Pont des Arts, Marinette scanned the few classmates already gathered there and frowned. “Where’s Nino?” she asked, turning to face her friends.

“He’s not coming,” replied Alix with a half-shrug. “Didn’t say why, but I think we know.”

“But he and Adrien are BFFs,” Rose piped up.

Alix scratched the back of her head. “Yeah. His girlfriend is kinda missing though, Rose. Would you be up for something like this?” She gestured towards the entourage of people assisting the photographer setting up various things.

“No, I wouldn’t,” replied the petite blonde, leaning into Juleka, the taller girl putting a comforting arm around her as she bent to kiss the top of Rose’s head.

“I see Ivan! Excuse me, ladies,” Mylène said, happily hurrying over to greet her boyfriend.

Intending to text Nino herself, Marinette was in the process of taking her phone from her pocket when someone spoke directly behind her.

“Marinette! I'm glad you could make it.”

Suddenly her phone became a bar of soap, slipping through her fumbling fingers as she registered it was Adrien talking to her. Marinette lunged to catch it, arms windmilling wildly enough to make Adrien back up with a chuckle.

“Whoops, didn’t mean to startle ya,” he said, grinning when she’d successfully recaptured her phone.

“Please, you could wear a bell around your neck and she’d still jump about ten feet in the air,” drawled Chloé as she materialized seemingly from nowhere.

“We’ll never have to worry about her scaring you,” Alix whispered to Marinette. “Since she can’t stand not announcing to people she’s graced them with her presence as loud as humanly possible.”

They shared a laugh, earning them a contemptuous look from Chloé before she resumed speaking to Adrien.

Ten minutes later, with Max and Kim the last to show up, the photographer called them all over to begin the shoot. As Marinette walked over, she felt a tap between her shoulders and lagged behind her friends while Chloé fell into step next to her.

“I assume you didn’t talk to him yesterday,” Chloé said, keeping her voice low.

“I tried, but his bodyguard kinda interrupted us.”

The other girl made a face. “Tall, silent and gruesome?” she said waspishly. “Fine. I figured something like that would happen, so I came up with a backup plan. Just be ready to sneak out of here when the time comes."

"Sneak out with Adrien?" Marinette repeated, to be sure.

"Duh. Who else?" Chloé impatiently tossed her hair. "Make up some excuse for him to come with you, like you're gonna faint because you forgot to eat breakfast."

It was nearly close to the truth, Marinette thought in amusement. She'd barely scarfed down a granola bar in between her chores earlier. “How are you going to get him away from his father’s assistant?” She’d seen Nathalie and the bodyguard among the adults.

“You just leave that to me,” Chloé sniffed, a cunning gleam in her eyes.

The photo shoot was hectic, but the fun kind of hectic. A break called an hour in gave Marinette the chance to look for Chloé, wondering just what this brilliant plan of hers was.

Chloé’s distraction came a scarce minute later, with a high-pitched scream that would not have been out of place in a horror movie. “I see an akuma!” she wailed, pointing in a random direction. Marinette wanted to bury her face in her hands and sigh, if only because everyone else bought the act.

Some people fled, general confusion engulfing the remainder as they grouped together. Others were looking around suspiciously, most of them her classmates; used to Chloé overreacting to things.

"Where?" demanded one of them, just out of her line of sight. "I don't see anything out of the ordinary."

Chloé faced whoever it was with a haughty glower. "Hmph! If you don't believe me, then don't blame me when some supervillain pops out of nowhere to have you for lunch!"

Marinette hastily scooted over to Adrien, who was eyeing his bodyguard apprehensively as the man tried to part the crowd to get to him, and tapped him on the arm.

“You wanna get out of here before things get too crazy?” she asked. "Rather be safe than sorry, and you look like you could use a break."

“Let's go,” Adrien said after chancing another look at his bodyguard. They ducked low after managing to slip away from the group, hurrying around a corner and putting some distance behind them before eventually pausing to catch their breath.

Recalling Chloé’s suggestion, Marinette put a hand over her stomach and fake groaned. “Ugh, I’m starved. Didn’t get a chance to eat this morning, and all that exercise totally made me even hungrier.”

Adrien straightened up from where he’d been slouching against the building behind them. “It’s probably going to take a while for all that to calm down. Let’s go get you a proper meal,” he offered, a smile lighting up his face. “My treat.”

Marinette knew the point of all this was to ask about his freak out, but she couldn’t help the fluttery feeling she got from seeing that smile. It was then she belatedly noticed her phone was ringing. She recognized the tune before it cut out, growing puzzled. Calling at this time of day?

"Someone missing you already?" Adrien teased.

Marinette laughed. "I doubt it, but can I take a minute to text them real quick before we go?"

"No problem."

She paced a few steps away as she typed out a text.

 **M** _  
Something up, kitty cat?_

 **C**  
_Just missing my favourite princess_  
_Guess she’s in a different tower_  
_3:_

Marinette felt her shoulders shake as she tried not to giggle out loud.

 **M** _  
Goofy cat! I was out with my friends._

 **C** _  
That mean you’ll be home soon? =owo=_

She could imagine him curled up on the chair on her balcony, cat-napping in the sun until she arrived. It was a cute image.

 **M** _  
Nah, not yet. Grabbing lunch first._

 **C** _  
With one of your friends? Wouldn’t want you out alone lately. <3_

Small prickles of guilt chased away the warmth evoked by the knowledge he was still worried about her. He didn’t know about her crush on Adrien, but she felt guilty all the same, only now realizing how much getting lunch with him sounded like a date. _Just be honest._

* * *

 

 **M** _  
Yeah, one of the guys in my class._

Chat read the text out loud, wondering if he ought to be concerned about that. It wasn’t like they were dating... but it was fine to be a little jealous, right?

 **C** _  
You sure it’s not a date?_

 **M** _  
It is so not a date!!! He’s just a friend!_

That sounded vaguely familiar.

 **C _  
_** _Who is it? I purromise not to use him as a scratching post ;3c_

 **M**  
_Don't claw Adrien Agreste ://_  
_His fans would never forgive you, superhero or not_

_Oh hell._

His stomach dropped like a lead weight. No way was he going to let Trixx get away with this, especially with Marinette of all people. Chat had to figure out where she was, and fast, without making her suspicious.

 **C** _  
Heh, that model kid? He taking you to somewhere fancy-schmancy?_

 **M**  
_We’re just getting some pizza :P maybe some ice cream from André's after_  
_Still not a date!_

He remembered the ice cream vendor who’d become Glaciator very well. Chat smiled - no matter that it was more on the devilish side. He knew where André liked to set up his stall. Waiting was a game he was good at, being part cat.

 **C** _  
Save some ice cream for me ;)_

\--

Chat struck gold before he even managed to reach his target area, catching sight of a small mob of people clustered outside of a popular pizzeria. He crouched down to watch, hoping Trixx was enjoying every aspect of stealing his identity... especially his fans. He only hoped they wouldn’t bother Marinette; she didn’t deserve the uglier side of his fame.

A door opened in the back, two figures escaping down the alley that the pizzeria backed on to. Smart, Chat thought as he cautiously shadowed after them, confirming their identities as they stepped into the sunlight.

Trixx gestured as he spoke, nearly sending the slice of pizza he held flying. Whatever he said made Marinette laugh, the sound carrying well to Chat’s ears as he glowered at the kitsune sporting his face. A direct confrontation was out of the question, but Chat had other ideas he was willing to explore.

The duo had to swerve down another alley to avoid more crowds, this one containing a few scattered garbage bins that gave the cat an idea. He whizzed across the low-slung rooftops, pausing every so often to ensure he hadn’t been spotted, before he crouched down in front of his target - one very dingy dumpster emitting a smell that burned his eyes even from where he was perched.

A bag carelessly heaped on top of the already full to bursting bin simply needed a helping hand to accidentally split open. Chat glanced back up the alley to confirm they were still heading his way, then positioned himself behind a moderately heavy stone planter he hastily shoved to the edge of the roof. All Trixx had to do was stay on Marinette’s right.

Three... two... one... and push!

Chat hit the planter with his shoulder, silently apologizing to its owner. It teetered, gravity taking over from there as the planter plummeted straight down. Striking the bin, the movement dislodged the garbage bag, which rolled towards the lip of the bin and caught on the corner.

Trixx, whose head shot up at the crash, threw an arm into Marinette’s path to stop her from going any farther whilst the bag inexorably tore open.

It ripped, contents spilling out in a stinky rush... most of which landed directly on Trixx. The kitsune’s disgusted shout was music to Chat’s ears as the feline hero fought to keep his laughter contained.

“Oh no, are you okay?” Marinette’s voice, muffled. Chat didn’t dare look down to see why, guessing it was due to pinching her nose to block out the smell.

“I’m fine,” replied Trixx in a peevish tone. “Some rotten luck huh?”

 _Emphasis on rotten_. It was the kind of smell that lingered for hours.

“Can’t say these pants are fine, though. My father might have an apoplexy if he sees them like this,” the kitsune continued. He sighed. “You still want to go get that ice cream?”

“O-of course!” Marinette quickly answered. “I wouldn’t miss André’s ice cream for anything. If you don't mind.”

Chat was prepared for this to be the case, already thinking of his next trick. One unfortunate event wasn’t enough to ruin the ‘date’, so perhaps a string of them would convince Trixx to give up.

Such as switching detour signs around to lead Trixx the wrong way into a knee-deep pit filled with water.

And removing a warning slip of paper so he'd sit on a freshly painted bench.

All this, and the garbage bag to boot, and Trixx had not been deterred.

But Chat had one more left, waiting until they’d finally gotten their ice cream and were strolling through a small plaza to enjoy the cold treats. This one didn’t even need any more prep than one small rock launched through the air. A flurry of cooing and rapidly fluttering wings rose tremendously in volume as a huge swarm of startled pigeons took flight.

Marinette scrambled back as the birds cut across their path, Trixx not being so lucky. He threw up his hands to ward them off, forgetting the cone he’d been holding that soon splattered against his already filthy shoes.

The kitsune looked down at himself, pants covered in grime and feathers, fury briefly contorting his features. His expression smoothed out to a mere grimace by the time he glanced at his companion. “Just not my day,” he said sullenly. “Sorry for all these mishaps.”

“It’s not your fault,” Marinette assured him, flashing a fleeting smile. “These things happen.”

Trixx weakly returned it. “As much as I hate saying this, I think I better go. I’ve been gone long enough that Nathalie might contact my father if I don’t show up soon.”

Chat could see them from his vantage point, and watched a flicker of disappointment cross Marinette’s face. “I did have fun, for what it’s worth. And thank you for treating me to lunch,” she said, almost shyly.

“Let me at least walk you to the station before we part ways,” Trixx suggested, grin returning in full force when Marinette demurely accepted.

He grumbled hearing this, but Chat was pleased at what he’d wrought. Following them to the station, he intended to continue his pursuit of Trixx after Marinette left when a distant explosion rang out somewhere in the city.

The emotions that surged reminded him of Ladybug’s frustration the night before, his hands tightening into fists. Here was an opportunity to track the rogue fox kwami, handed to him on a golden platter, so naturally an akuma would pick now to show up.

_Ladybug was right. This is some pretty suspicious timing._

But he couldn’t leave Parisians in more immediate danger, if that explosion was anything to go by. Wrenching his emotions back under control, Chat leapt towards the plume of smoke rising above the buildings to a growing cacophony of sirens.

* * *

 

People paid no mind to the shadowy figure tucked just a few steps into an alleyway, too focused on their errands to really notice anything out of the ordinary.

Seeker’s tracking sense had led him to the general area the ‘Kitsune’, as Hawk Moth had named him, was supposed to be. It failed to pinpoint his target, but that was where Radar came in. His shadow hound had his snout raised high, looking like a grim right out of old folklore tales.

Whereas Seeker had a more wide-range ability, Radar was the one to track their prey once he’d caught the scent. One thing was strange, however: Kitsune’s presence felt muted somehow, as though it were being partly blocked by something. There was no mistaking he was somewhere in the area, but it was down to using their eyes and Radar’s enhanced sense of smell to actually find their target.

“Easy,” murmured Seeker when Radar’s lips peeled back in a silent growl, ears pinned flat against his head when a particularly loud group of humans passed by their hiding place. A few more minutes elapsed before his canine companion stirred again, his entire posture growing alert.

Confirming with his ability that their target was drawing close, Seeker risked partially stepping out with Radar to physically see who Kitsune was using for a disguise. A blonde-haired teenage boy caught his notice, his designer jeans covered in bird feathers and filth, had his shoulders hunched and head bent low to avoid attention as he walked. It didn’t fully work, several heads turning after he passed by, expressions showing belated recognition.

He moved with purpose, eventually blending into the string of civilians. Seeker let him go, knowing Radar had his scent now. The duo followed at a safe distance, using the shadows to blend in wherever possible.

The boy returned to a crowded area, climbing into a car that sped off after a short, clipped discussion with a stern looking woman. Radar didn’t let him down, leading him to a stately looking mansion that Seeker was surprised to see. He didn’t know how this connection to Hawk Moth worked, awkwardly managing to send out a mental nudge of sorts.

Several minutes ticked by before the villain responded. _‘Have you found Kitsune already?’_

“Yes, Hawk Moth. I’ve tracked him down and can corner him if you so wish.”

_‘Where are you now?’_

“Outside of Gabriel Agreste’s manor.”

There was silence from Hawk Moth, long enough that Seeker was left wondering if he’d messed up and not realized it. He was seized by a wild moment of panic, gaze flicking to Radar, who was standing perfectly still at his side. “Hawk Moth?” he asked after a moment.

\--

This awful feeling was one Hawk Moth never wanted to experience again.

Seeker had followed someone back to his manor. Kitsune had been hiding right under his nose the entire time, and he’d been none the wiser. This information may have angered him under any other circumstances, but he was focused on what was causing that feeling of dread spreading like ice through his veins: Kitsune using Adrien for his disguise.

Adrien conveniently being sick, spending most of his time in his room when not at school, took on a more sinister tone with this knowledge. If this was all true, where was the real Adrien?

_What did you do to my son?_

It was like having the floor ripped out from beneath him, and nothing was quite right anymore. Kitsune, gift-wrapped for him... at what cost? Victory with too steep a price paid left a bitter, acid taste in his mouth.

 _No. I... I must be mistaken_ , Hawk Moth thought, desperate. He'd finally attempted to be more involved in Adrien's life, and was certain they'd been progressing on that front. There was no way Kitsune could perfect faking Adrien's personality and mannerisms to fool his father. He couldn't accept the alternative; it was just too horrible.

It had to be someone else here, and he was certain Nathalie had been safe from Kitsune, leaving one other option in the form of Adrien’s bodyguard and part-time chauffeur. The man was virtually silent, meaning Kitsune would not have to work very hard at keeping his disguise intact.

Hawk Moth breathed deeply, feeling his pulse calm down with each exhalation. Turbulent emotions were easy enough to deal with when it came to his akumas. His own? Not nearly as simple.

He didn’t ask Seeker who the akuma had followed back, preferring not to hear his worst fears confirmed. Kitsune would be regretting his choice very soon regardless.

“Seeker, I order you to trap Kitsune to the best of your abilities. I will arrive in person when you succeed.”

_‘Yes, Hawk Moth. We won’t let you down.’_

Ladybug and Chat Noir were of no concern, an akuma he’d let loose in the city keeping them busy long enough for Seeker to act unhindered. There would be no rescue for the rogue kwami this time.

Checkmate.

* * *

 

Trixx had barely closed the door behind himself before he was doubled over, gasping as the transformation started slipping away. The stress of keeping it together while enduring a campaign of torment and trying to sweet talk the girl had taken a heavy toll. No more nice kwami, he thought as he dropped onto his knees. I can’t afford to play around with this form any more.

The kitsune froze when the door creaked open, partway through his shift back to his true form. “Adrien, your father managed to rearrange things to give you an hour’s leisure time. Please be ready by then,” the voice of the assistant, Nathalie, said. To Trixx’s relief, she didn’t wait for a reply and closed the door quietly.

An hour was more generous than he was expecting, considering the blistering lecture he’d been on the receiving end of before they’d returned here. Being cramped in the car gave him no chance to shut it all out, having to hear all about maintaining a proper, respectable public image. Trixx shook himself as he completed the transformation, doubly glad to be rid of the garbage and grime he’d been enduring for Marinette’s sake.

Lack of protesting on her part still perplexed him - surely she would be more upset that the boy she clearly had feelings for was leaving? Perhaps she was just too shy to admit as such, a more reasonable assumption given she was too shy to confess in the first place.

Coaxing her with the boy was now a bust. Chat Noir would have to do, to lure her out. Maybe a bit of peril would drag the real cat to him, and the pest out of hiding.

A sudden crash sounded in the hallway, Trixx’s head swiveling round to stare at the doors, instantly alert. It wasn’t paranoia provoking this response - not entirely. Nathalie was not clumsy, nor was the bodyguard despite his appearance. And then he felt it: the sensation that heralded a nearby akuma.

Time’s up.

The bedroom doors flew open, kicked with great force by a man who swept into the room with a low laugh. “Found you, little fox,” he said, dark eyes fixed on the bristling kwami without a trace of fear. “You can’t hide from me.” He was tall, somewhat muscular beneath the pitch-black uniform and coat he wore, cutting an intimidating figure to anyone who wasn’t Trixx.

He bared his fangs in a feral smile. “That’s what you think, puppet. Go tell your master I’m not interested in playing his little games.”

“If you’re good, you can tell him yourself,” replied the akuma, unfettered.

Trixx didn’t bother to keep talking, throwing himself at the man in a snarling frenzy. He bowled the man over by striking him in the knees, where he flipped over Trixx’s back with hands grasping fruitlessly at his fur for purchase. Child’s play, Trixx mused as he sped down the hallway, dodging the unconscious form of Nathalie. She was sprawled next to the bodyguard, a decorative vase in many pieces scattered around them; knocked aside in a struggle.

He loped down the stairs in a rush, seeing the main entrance just ahead... as well as a tall, pitch-black dog whose bright yellow eyes swung his way. Trixx skidded to a stop as the hound moved towards him on soundless paws, teeth flashing with an accompanying growl. No wonder the akumatized man had posed no real threat when he came with a friend like this.

“I see you’ve met Radar,” spoke the akuma as he appeared at the top of the stairs behind Trixx, cutting off another avenue of escape.

“Have you never heard of leash laws?” Trixx growled, furtively looking about for some way out.

“Sure I have. I simply choose not to adhere to them.” He lifted a hand, smiling pleasantly. “Radar, fetch.”

The dark hound reacted immediately, moving with dizzying speed to pounce on top of Trixx before the kitsune could blink. He was not a small creature, but Radar was much heavier, bearing them both down to the white tiled floor. Trixx used the momentum to roll, managing to shake off his opponent and put some space between them.

“Why are you bothering to resist?” the akuma asked as he descended, stopping next to Radar. “You could try to escape, but Radar will track you down no matter where you flee.” He paused, and added in a wry tone, “Or who you disguise yourself as.”

Was this man stupid? “Your master’s plans and mine no longer align. I’m not going to be some mindless pawn like you,” Trixx spat out, tail lashing angrily. Defeating Ladybug was one thing, but he was still a kwami at heart - he was not going to put her Miraculous in the wrong hands.

An idea came to mind, Trixx lifting his head confidently as he settled upon springing it. “Besides, you should be the one worried. Akumas around these parts have very short-term jobs,” he said, deliberately shifting his gaze just beyond the man. Confused by Trixx’s sudden nerve, he looked round and jumped back with a startled shout.

"What? Impossible!" the akuma cried as he stared up at the illusions of Ladybug and Chat Noir standing at the top of the stairs.

They twirled their respective weapons, realistic enough to strike fear into the akuma if he didn’t cop on to the lack of sound. It was all Trixx needed to make his move, dashing towards a window as fast as possible and bracing himself as he threw himself into it. Furious barking rose above the sound of shattering glass, spurring Trixx out of his dazed state upon landing.

He didn’t dare look back as he fled out the front gate and down the street, using some of his remaining strength to project an image of an ordinary dog to onlookers; animal control was the least of his worries.

Things were going to end tonight. Good for him, or bad, remained to be seen.

* * *

 

Marinette was fidgety the entire train ride, her thoughts such a snarled mess that she was lucky they weren’t reflected for the world to see. Adding on to it all was emerging from the station to news of an akuma, taking another hour out of her already long day to handle. Chat had done a good job containing it until she arrived, for which she was grateful. Once she'd finally made it home, Marinette greeted her parents and shared a calm, pleasant dinner before trudging upstairs and mechanically letting Tikki free from her clasp with a cookie already in hand.

“Are you okay?” Tikki asked as she accepted the treat. "You don't look very good."

She shot her kwami a look filled with despair. “Chloé was right,” she said, low, sitting down on her chaise.

“About what?” prompted Tikki, landing on Marinette’s knees. Her expression was openly worried.

“Tikki, I spent some time with Adrien earlier. On a not-date,” Marinette began, eyes on the floor. “There were some... mishaps. It wasn’t all bad, but towards the end, some pigeons flew right by in front of us.”

Her kwami blinked. “I’m sensing this was a bad thing.”

“He didn’t sneeze. Once.” Marinette wrung her hands together. “Remember that derby hat I made? I used a real pigeon feather for the competition piece and Adrien kept sneezing when he tried putting it on. No one just miraculously gets over allergies like that.”

She drew in a breath, heart aching. “Chloé was right about Adrien not being himself, because he’s been Trixx all along.”

“Are you sure?”

Marinette shook her head slightly, pigtails bobbing. “It sounds crazy, doesn’t it? Making the jump from ‘he _has_ been acting a bit odd’ to ‘he’s totally my enemy in disguise’ from not having an allergic reaction to bird feathers.”

Tikki floated upwards, hovering inches from Marinette’s face. “You’re not crazy Marinette. Maybe you knew, but you weren’t ready to accept it,” her kwami said.

“Because the truth hurts,” the dark-haired girl murmured, the first tear sliding down her cheek. “I’ve spent the last week thinking I’ve been getting closer with Adrien, and feeling proud of myself because I’m not a shy, stuttering mess around him any more. And now I know it’s all been for naught.” A few more tears joined the first. “It terrifies me even more that the real Adrien might need my help, and I don’t know where he may be.”

Her head sank into her hands, missing the almost guilty look that Tikki sported for a brief second. "Even if I knew, all these akumas would make it impossible to look. I'm so tired, Tikki."

"Oh, Marinette," Tikki said, resting her head against Marinette's cheek. She said nothing else, because anything she could think of seemed shallow. Things had to be done now, not given lip-service. The kwami looked up at a faint noise above them, Marinette stirring but not making an immediate move to get up.

"Go," Tikki urged her. "But don't tell him about Trixx and Adrien, okay?"

Flashing her kwami an appreciative, if tired, smile, Marinette rose from her chaise and ascended the stairs to her skylight once Tikki zipped into hiding, emerging into the brisk night air. There he was, standing at the edge of her balcony by the railing, turning when he heard the skylight open.

“Chat.”

His smile was just as bright as the one in her heart, beckoning to her with one glove-clad hand.

“I'm really happy to see you,” she said, moving towards him, not noticing at first that he shifted back a half-step when they would have made contact. They stood in silent companionship for a little, before she finally summoned the nerve to ask, "You're not upset with me for having lunch with Adrien, are you?" Hopefully he didn't notice the hitch in her voice when she said Adrien's name.

Open surprise on his face before he grinned slightly and shook his head.

That was strange, Marinette mused. He was usually much more talkative, and she hadn’t heard a single word or cat pun. _Great, he’s actually making me miss the cat puns. I’ve been corrupted!_

Facing him, she mustered up a smile and kept her tone cheery. “You’re awful quiet tonight. Cat got your tongue?”

A shrug was her reply. Marinette felt a chill run down her neck, suddenly wary. “Chat?” she asked, reaching for his arm. He quickly moved out of her reach, and it was then that she was hit with the memory of talking about Trixx’s illusions with Tikki - and using her senses. He looked real enough that she’d been convinced up until now.

Avoiding her touch, the bell on his costume not jingling when he moved, and not speaking. For a minute she believed the worst: Trixx had discovered she was Ladybug. Why else would he have bothered trying to fool her with an illusion of Chat Noir?

“What’s going on?” Marinette demanded.

“You ruining my fun, that’s what.”

Chat faded into the air, Trixx landing on her balcony in his place. He drew himself up, haughty as ever as he looked her way. “I’d rather you not scream, so please do me a favour and refrain from it.”

 _Play dumb_ , she schooled herself. “W-who are you? What are you? A-and what do you want?” she babbled. The last question was genuine, Marinette unable to fathom any reason why he’d approach her civilian self. Trixx rumbled out a laugh.

“So many questions. As for who or what I am, that’s hardly important. I’m more interested in you, Marinette,” Trixx said. “What is it about you that draws two of Paris’ heroes to be your friend?” His smile was nearly feral. “Especially Chat Noir.”

She didn’t like where this was heading, feeling oddly vulnerable. Marinette inched backwards, wondering how fast Trixx would pounce if she made a run for her skylight window. “Chat Noir? I-I don’t know what you mean. He’s just seen me out here while he does patrol, and we make small talk, is all!” she said nervously.

Trixx’s eyes gleamed. “Lies,” the kitsune said. “But that’s fine. I’ll get the truth from you one way or another.”

* * *

 

“Hawk Moth, we’ve got a problem.”

_‘What is it? Did you lose Kitsune somehow?’_

“No. I’ve found him alright, but he’s interacting with a civilian girl.”

Seeker watched the kitsune approach the girl after dispelling a Chat Noir illusion similar to the one he’d manifested earlier. He didn’t know what to make of the situation, once Kitsune had approached in fox form. The girl’s involvement considerably complicated what should have been an easy capture.

Hawk Moth’s mental voice sounded exasperated. _‘How is this a problem? Wait until she leaves and take him then.’_

“I don’t think it will be that easy,” Seeker began. “He lured her with a Chat Noir illusion, and then revealed his true form to her. She could be a problem if she alerts either Ladybug or the real Chat Noir.”

_‘Then capture her as well. I’ll figure something out in the meanwhile.’_

“Very well,” Seeker replied. He nodded to Radar, his loyal hound rising to all fours as they prepared to get the drop on Kitsune and his friend.

* * *

 

Marinette had almost made it to the opening of her skylight, but she didn’t dare take those last few steps as he prowled after her. “Come now, don’t be foolish Marinette. All these lies are starting to make me angry,” he warned her.

She’d done her best to deflect his questions, not wanting to give anything away by slipping up. Truthfully, she was more alarmed at how much he’d actually seen of her interacting with Chat, often enough that he was aware of how close they truly were.

Trixx’s ears suddenly twitched, his smile replaced with a snarl as something landed on the railing of her balcony just behind him. A second thump joined the first, bright yellow eyes belonging to a huge dog-like creature fixed on the now angry kitsune.

“You!” spluttered Trixx, furious. “You’re not taking me. Not now, not ever!”

Several orbs of blue fire burst into existence, hurled in the direction of the shadowy figures. They dodged with ease, one shadow jumping on Trixx to take him down before he could toss more fox fire.

The other one landed beside Marinette, her balcony lights revealing little, other than it being a tall man with an almost sad look on his face. “Nothing personal, kid,” was all she heard before a sharp, brief pain let the darkness rush in.


	10. What Lies at the End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unexpectedly kidnapped by an akuma, Marinette finds herself cautiously allying with Trixx to find a way to escape and call for help. Chat Noir pays a long overdue visit to Nino, only to find out some surprising news. The final confrontation with the elusive kitsune seems to finally be drawing near...

Things came in muted, brief starts.

Muffled voices right nearby, unintelligible.

The sensation of a cold, hard surface pressed against her cheek.

Memory trickling in before turning into a flood of images and emotions that threatened to overwhelm.

She didn’t know how long she lay motionless, pretending to be unconscious while her senses gradually returned. Maybe it was some instinctive reaction, knowing the akuma who’d kidnapped her and Trixx was clearly waiting for her to wake.

“You probably struck her harder than you thought,” said a snide voice from her immediate right. Trixx. “Serves you right for trying to cover your bases.”

“Shut up,” the akuma hissed back, a low growl following to back up his threat. “It’s your fault she’s here.”

Trixx’s laugh was slightly hoarse, as if pained. “Sure, but YOU knocked her out. Ergo, all your fault when she doesn’t wake up for interrogation.”

“You won’t feel so smug when Hawk Moth shows up.”

What?

“Tch, as if he’d come out of hiding even for me. Not with those two pests on high alert.”

Marinette’s heart was pounding. Hawk Moth turning up in person was both not good and somehow amazingly lucky - depending on which state she was in. Right now? Terrible. If she could get away to transform, provided Tikki had managed to stow away before she’d gone out onto her balcony, it would be the chance of a lifetime to see who the man behind the mask was. If they caught him.

“I doubt they even know you’re missing.”

“Perhaps,” admitted Trixx. “But the kitty cat will notice if she’s not around sooner or later.”

Chat, the real Chat, was probably off recovering from the akuma they’d fought earlier in the day. There would be no gallant rescue like the one he’d pulled off when she’d been threatened by Knightmare. Marinette couldn’t bring herself to squash the tiny, almost microscopic kernel of hope that burned deep within that he’d show up - he was the most reliable person she knew.

But for now, she was on her own.

“That alley cat won’t last a minute against Radar,” boasted the akuma. Footsteps clunked against the floor, stopping in front of where Marinette lay still, hoping he couldn’t hear how wildly her heart was racing. “Still not awake... hmph. I need to step away, so don’t try anything stupid. Radar, watch them.” The footsteps receded, replaced by the sound of a door opening in the distance that clanged shut a moment later.

Claws tapped as Radar assumed his role as sentry, a dismissive snort issuing from Trixx. “Witless buffoon,” he rumbled. “You can stop faking now.”

Knowing the ruse was up, Marinette opened her eyes, meeting Trixx’s baleful purple ones as he stared down at her. She sat up, slowly, aware that the huge, shadowy canine watching them both had started growling.

“Shut up,” barked Trixx, startling Radar into shocked silence. He swung his gaze back to Marinette. “You need to get out of here. I can help."

"Why would you want to help me?" she retorted, frown deepening. "You weren't all that friendly back on my balcony."

Trixx rolled his eyes. "Priorities have shifted in light of the situation we're both in. And as such, I've decided it's best you get out of here," he said. "You'll have to be quick calling your friendly neighbourhood superheroes."

"Huh? Okay, I know time is short and all but can... you just walk me through this all?" Marinette asked. She wasn't sure what Trixx had planned and wasn't about to blindly trust the architect of her most recent woes.

"Long story short, I'm not your run of the mill fox." He paused to smirk. "Obviously. But that akuma and his four-legged friend can track me no matter where I go. If I escape, they'll follow. And let's just say that it's better for all of Paris that I don't fall into Hawk Moth's grasp. That's where you come in - you escape and alert your dear Chat and the pest in red to come to my rescue before that can happen."

It took a moment for it all to sink in. _Trixx must be desperate to turn to his number one enemy_ , she thought. _Even if he doesn't know she's sitting right next to him_. "Alright, say I do agree. How would you get me out of this room? And do you even know where we are?"

"I was out cold while we were taken here, so I do not know," Trixx said. "You'll have to rely on your own wits beyond this room. And, well... I pray your clumsiness won't beget disastrous consequences afterwards."

"Great pep talk," Marinette replied acerbically. "You didn't answer my first question, either."

Drawing himself up, Trixx grinned haughtily. "Observe."

The kitsune seemed to flicker at the edges, the room rapidly filling with clones of himself that turned upon Radar, who was watching this all unfold with uncertain eyes and a low-pitched whine. Trixx then pounced, the clones copying him in perfect sync, quickly overwhelming the akumatized canine. "Go!" one of the kitsunes cried out.

She’d long since leapt to her feet, looking for the exit; not exactly dawdling. Trixx’s command served to sharpen her focus regardless, and she finally caught sight of faint light peeking under the bottom of the door. Marinette almost spared a glance behind her, ultimately deciding against it; Trixx couldn’t keep Radar at bay for very long, and she wasn’t going to waste this chance.

Reaching out blindly, Marinette found the knob and twisted, yanking the door open so fast she nearly caught herself with it. Easy, she schooled herself as she rushed out into the dimly lit hallway. A simple mistake or stroke of clumsiness now really did have the makings of disaster.

A look around revealed she was alone for the moment, with no sign of the akumatized man returning. The only sounds she heard was her own heartbeat and the muffled sounds of the fight she’d left behind. But when she took a second look, Marinette quieted the small voice telling her to keep moving as a sense of familiarity settled upon her.

What was with akumas being drawn to her collège?

_At least Trixx won’t have to worry about me getting lost._ Once she figured out what part of the building she was in, escape would be within reach.

“...wk Moth.”

The voice that echoed in the empty hallway wasn’t too far from her position, inciting a momentary burst of panic that the akuma was about to pop around the corner and spot her. Edging forwards cautiously, Marinette realized it had to be coming from an empty classroom on her left, wan moonlight filling the room and highlighting the akuma’s silhouette in a silvery glow where he stood facing the window.

She raced past the door, hoping her shoes wouldn’t squeak in the process, only to windmill to a halt as she heard the akuma speak again.

“She’ll wake sooner or later. I’ve already confiscated her cell phone, like you ordered.”

Crap! A smart move, and bad news for her. Odds were the akuma hadn't stashed it somewhere, either. Getting it back without Tikki powering her up wasn’t something she felt confident in achieving.

“No, not yet,” the akuma said, obviously communicating with Hawk Moth, if the one-sided conversation was anything to go by. “But sooner or later someone will realize she’s missing. And you know what that means.” A pause, followed by a faint sigh.

Marinette tuned out the rest, knowing her time was almost up. She needed to find a distraction of her own, and quickly - preferably one that let her look for her phone. Her eyes landed on something that elicited a slight smile despite her anxious state, hurrying over to do something most kids secretly longed to do: pull the fire alarm.

It went off instantly, filling the hallway with the clamor of a ringing bell that drowned out every other noise, including the oaths the akuma swore as he raced from the classroom. Marinette had already ducked around the corner, peeking out as much as she dared. Throwing his hands up, the akuma made a face and ran right past her, too focused on figuring out how to disable the alarm to take notice of much else.

Stepping into the classroom, Marinette nearly fainted in relief when she spotted her phone lying on the floor, slightly battered from being dropped in surprise. It worked to her even more immense delight, Marinette kissing it reverently before checking the battery. Low, but all she needed to do was make a short call.

“Not out of the woods yet,” she murmured to herself, a reminder that she had to get outside first. If she let down her guard, the akuma, or Radar, if she was really unlucky, would thwart everything. Marinette retreated back into the hallway and headed towards where she knew the stairs would be, moving even quicker when the alarm cut off abruptly. Freedom was so close she could practically taste it.

* * *

 

He’d been chided to rest, sage advice he was ignoring to stealthily dash across the rooftops instead. It was with good intentions - to visit his best friend, Nino. A short window of time was better than none, and so Chat had taken off the moment Ladybug had zipped away following the most recent akuma’s downfall.

Fatigue made him slower than he liked, on top of his right arm still being bothersome, though neither of these would prevent him from checking on Nino. He missed being able to express himself openly with the aspiring DJ, and vice versa. Alya’s disappearance had to be a heavy burden, further strengthening Chat’s decision to drop by despite being in costume. Nino didn’t know his friend was under the mask, but that wouldn’t stop Chat from offering a friendly hand, or ear, if needed.

As Chat arrived near Nino’s home, he frowned at the darkened window he knew was Nino’s room. Evening had long since fallen, though it was too early to turn in for the night, leaving the alternative that Nino may have gone out.

Before the disappointment could settle in, he caught the sound of a door closing and crouched down to get a better look. The figure walking down the sidewalk passed under a street lamp, Nino immediately recognizable thanks in part to his favoured cap. But what was he doing walking alone at this hour?

Concerned, Chat trailed his friend until Nino detoured into a small park for a breather, sitting down on an empty bench with a sigh.

“Bit late for a stroll, isn’t it?” Chat said as he landed off to the side of the bench, grinning.

Nino jumped, almost dropping his phone in the process. “Dude, don’t spook me like that,” he began, faltering when he realized to whom he was talking. “Whoa, wait, you’re the real Chat Noir, right?”

“The one and only.”

“Awesome,” Nino replied, expression mirroring the sentiment. “You out on patrol?”

“Can’t get too lax with so many akumas lately,” Chat said.

“Tell me about it,” Nino said, leaning against the back of the bench, excitement fading from his face. “Everything’s been so weird the past week. My girlfriend disappeared right around the time all these akumas started showing up... makes me wonder if one of them is the reason she’s missing. I want to go find her, but what good am I against super villains?”

The pain in Nino’s voice was so palpable that Chat found himself reaching out to touch his shoulder in a gesture of comfort, withdrawing his hand at the last second. He didn’t know who Chat really was.

"Then her family up and vanished too. I went over to their apartment to look for clues - something safe I could do. But it was another dead end."

"Her family vanished?" Chat repeated. Strange enough Alya was entirely absent, something he could attribute to Trixx's ploy to use her against Ladybug. What the kwami may have wanted with her family was more troubling.

"Get this: her mom called me an hour ago, told me they were out at a relative's place in the countryside. Said they had no cell reception where they were," Nino continued, sounding relieved. "Apparently they got a phone call saying someone was urgently sick and wanted to see them. Only when they got there, everyone was fine. Some prank call, huh?"

That was one less thing to worry about on the over-laden plate of troubles he was already balancing. "Pretty weird, that's for sure."

"It gets weirder, dude," his friend said, anxiously fiddling with his wristband. "I asked her mom if Alya was with them, and she said no. At this point I'm trying not to completely freak out. Then it hit me - Alya runs the LadyBlog. She's the best source of Ladybug info in Paris." Open pride in Nino's voice. "And she shares a lot with her best friend. If an akuma got to Alya over her Ladybug knowledge, she could be a target too. Call me paranoid, but she wasn't answering my calls, and after everything that's happened..."

Chat sat up straight, a terrible feeling seizing hold. "Which friend is this?" he asked, knowing the answer and dreading to hear it confirmed.

Nino looked his way, amber eyes somber. "Her name is Marinette. I was on my way over to her place before you dropped in."

"I'm going with you," Chat declared, jumping up from the bench so quick that Nino started. The other boy didn't question this statement, head dipping in a quick nod. Chat led the way the rest of the way to the boulangerie, setting a brisk pace that wouldn't leave Nino behind despite his impatience.

When the pair arrived, Marinette’s mother was standing outside with a concerned look on her face, gazing at the collège across the street. She turned as they approached, a warm yet stern smile directed their way. “Nino, shouldn’t you be home at this hour?” she gently admonished before catching sight of Chat. “Oh, never mind me then. I see you have quite the chaperone.”

“Everything alright?” asked Chat, making an effort to keep his tone level when he was tense enough to snap.

“Well, your timing is rather impeccable,” Marinette’s mother responded. “We were settling down for the night when I heard something coming from across the street. It sounded like the fire alarm, so I came downstairs to check, but by then it was quiet again." She shook her head. "Perhaps you could take a look, Chat Noir, if it's not too much trouble? It's probably just some kids pulling a prank."

She didn’t need to say more for Chat to understand she was worried it was something far more sinister. He glanced at the dark collège, torn by indecision. There was no real obligation to check it out when all he wanted to do was search for Marinette, but her mother didn’t seem distressed in any way; it was possible both he and Nino were jumping to conclusions that something bad had happened.

“If you’re busy with patrol, I understand,” her mother was saying, stirring Chat from his thoughts.

He gave her a charming smile to reassure her. “It’s no trouble madame,” Chat replied smoothly. “We heroes are here to serve Paris and her citizens after all.”

“Is Marinette still awake? She wasn’t answering my texts and I had some questions about our, uhh... project in class,” Nino said.

Sabine chuckled. “You came all the way over just to ask that?”

Nino grinned sheepishly. “It’s uber-important.”

“She went to bed early tonight after being out all day," she said. “I’m sure your project questions can wait until morning.” Her tone was firm, implying there’d be no chance of going up to check for themselves. “You should be going home to bed too, Nino.”

“I’ll make sure he gets home safely,” Chat promised.

They bid goodnight to her mother and waited until she’d retreated inside to sigh in near unison. “So much for that,” groaned Nino, lightly scuffing his shoes against the sidewalk. “It was a long shot to begin with.”

Chat looked at the collège again, brows furrowed in thought. “She’s probably fine. Her mother wouldn’t have been so calm if something had happened,” he said absently.

“You don’t sound convinced.”

“Honestly? I’m not,” admitted Chat. “And I’m now wondering if that disturbance at the college is related to our problem.”

He didn’t need to check to know Nino was looking at him in confusion. “What? How?”

“If an akuma did get to Marinette, where's an easily accessible spot to lie low at this hour?" Chat pointed at the collège. "It's right across the street from her home. And I highly doubt it's a hotspot for miscreant kids, let alone ones dumb enough to pull the fire alarm for a quick laugh."

Nino snorted. "It's definitely not," he said. A strange expression flickered across his face. “Hang on. Do you think maybe it was Marinette who pulled the alarm?”

“Huh?”

“She might not be answering her phone because she doesn’t have it,” Nino explained. “So she pulled the alarm to get help that way.”

It made a fair bit of sense, Chat thought. Taking her phone away was a wise move on an akuma’s behalf, or Trixx’s. He wasn’t ruling out the kitsune being a factor in Marinette’s absence. There was the possibility he and Nino were totally wrong, yet Chat couldn’t shake the feeling Marinette was in trouble.

“I’m going in,” he said to Nino. He was trusting his gut on this one.

His best friend looked at the ground, gaze uncertain. “I want to help,” Nino finally blurted out.

"It's going to be dangerous," Chat began, stopping when Nino held up his hands.

"I know, dude. I wasn't planning on running right at an akuma without powers like yours. But I don't want to just stand by and wait knowing I can help Marinette the way I couldn't help Alya."

That made Chat hesitate on outright refusing. He could picture Ladybug's disapproval all too vividly, and her chiding on bringing a civilian into unknown danger; the main reason why he'd almost said no.

And yet he couldn't bring himself to turn him down, when the alternative meant Nino went home, safe but wracked with guilt and self-doubt. A thought rose, unbidden, words he remembered speaking to someone else what felt like a lifetime ago.

_You don't need powers to be a hero._

"All right," Chat said to his friend. "But you follow my orders exactly, got it? I say run, you run. Hide, and you hide, immediately."

Nino's eyes brightened, a smile quickly exchanged for a serious expression. "Gotcha, dude."

Chat had to hide his own grin at Nino's excitement. "Then let's go."

* * *

 

She’d discarded the idea of making a break for the main door through the courtyard before the thought had fully formed, knowing the akuma would look for her there first - when he discovered her missing, of course. It painfully limited her options for freedom, one of which was potentially climbing up to the roof.

It wasn’t one Marinette fancied attempting without her powers, circling her back to contemplating the courtyard again. Her precious few minutes bought by triggering the alarm were ticking by fast, so after cautiously peeking around, she crept out from the hallway and sprinted over to the staircase with phone in hand.

What she least expected was running smack into Nino, who was cresting the stairs at the same time and hastily covered her mouth to stifle a yelp. “N-Nino!?” she stammered.

"Whoa, dudette!" he said after recovering from the collision, hugging her tightly. "I’m so glad you’re alright."

"But how did you know I was in trouble?"

"You weren't answering your phone all night and after what happened to Alya, I got worried," Nino answered. "What happened?"

She looked around anxiously, keenly aware the akuma could stumble upon them any second. "An akuma showed up while I was on my balcony and grabbed me," Marinette said. It wasn't a total lie, but Nino did not need to know about Trixx's existence, nor his involvement with Alya. Not yet. “I woke up here, without my phone - the akuma took it. So I pulled the fire alarm to try and get it back.”

“I knew that was you,” Nino chuckled. “So much for our rescue attempt when you went ahead and rescued yourself.”

Marinette almost laughed until she went over what he’d just said. “Wait, ‘our’?”

“Yeah. I bumped into Chat Noir earlier and he agreed to help me look for you.”

Something warm and powerful chased away the dregs of fear that had been nipping away at her. Chat was here, searching for her, like she knew he would. “Where is he?”

Nino frowned. “I dunno. We split up to search for you and the akuma,” he said. “He told me to wait here if I didn’t find anything.”

“We need to get moving,” Marinette said urgently. “The akuma’s probably found out I’m not where I should be, and he’s not alone.”

A noise had them both jumping before realizing it was just the wind knocking a stray can across the ground. Nodding to her, Nino led them both down the stairs and scanned the courtyard cautiously. They’d scarcely taken a step out of the shadows when a more ominous noise filled the air, followed by movement just in front of them.

Radar’s unearthly silhouette blocked the way between them and the front door, lips peeled back as his growls silenced everything else. “Nice doggy,” Nino uttered under his breath. “This what you meant by ‘not alone’?” He shook his head, noticeably pale. “Could really use Chat Noir or Ladybug right about now...”

There was no sign of the other akuma, but Marinette had no doubts he’d ordered the canine to track her down. Radar was suddenly in motion, moving so quickly that she and Nino barely had time to dash out of the way.

Claws clicked wildly as the shadow hound tried to arrest his momentum, ultimately failing and crashing into one of the benches set out, toppling it over.

They booked it towards the exit, freedom so tantalizingly close. But a glance over her shoulder showed Radar recovering faster than expected to give chase again, snarling all the while. There was no way to evade him forever, she thought, panic starting to take over as they fled onto the front steps.

Then she heard it.

**_"CATACLYSM!"_ **

The archway of the front of the collège gave way to a wave of spreading black energy, sending debris in every direction. Marinette stumbled away with Nino, stunned.

_No. No no no...._

She’d told him not to use it again.

_‘My choice,’_ he’d said, a vow to protect her.

Heedless of Nino’s startled cry, Marinette rushed towards the debris, shoving aside what pieces she could. Her fingers brushed against the soft touch of leather, grabbing hold before turning her head. “Help me,” she gasped to Nino, who’d followed after her.

With his assistance, they managed to pull Chat from the debris, laying him carefully on the steps. Marinette looked down at his still form, a few tears blinked free streaking through the dirt on his suit. “I think I saw the dog, too,” Nino said quietly, stepping away.

“ _Chaton_ , you idiot,” she whispered, more tears joining the first. “Now look what you’ve done.”

He’d risked everything just to save her. Not Ladybug - her. Exasperating, stubborn cat. She bent over to kiss his cheek, willing him back to consciousness. _When you wake up, you’re in so much trouble, kitty cat, nine lives or not._

“Marinette!”

Still fixated on Chat Noir, it took a moment for Marinette to realize it wasn’t Nino calling her name. Looking up, she spotted something that cheered her immeasurably - Tikki waving at her from behind the banister, peeking over cautiously at Nino as the boy kept digging. She glanced back at Chat, reluctantly standing up; if she wanted to help him, she had to leave him here, no matter how much she wanted to stay.

“Nino,” she said, waiting until he turned. “I’m going to try to contact Ladybug.”

He blinked, studying her carefully before nodding. “I’ll look after him.”

\---

Once she was around the corner of the collège, Marinette held out her hands for Tikki to land in, so many questions bubbling up all at once. She opted instead to ask, “Where have you been?”

“Searching for you,” said Tikki. “I looked all over this place but I had to keep a low profile, so it took longer than I liked.”

Marinette sighed. “I’m just glad you’re safe,” she breathed. “I never expected Trixx to show up, or another akuma. They caught me totally off-guard.”

Tikki floated upwards, open concern in her wide blue eyes. “Neither of us saw it coming, Marinette. Trixx must be desperate. So the question is - are you ready?” she asked. “If you’re still upset about what happened with Chat Noir...”

She shook her head. “It’s time to end this Tikki.” Not for my sake, but everyone else affected by all of this - Alya, Nino, Adrien, and Chat most of all. Hands clenching into determined fists, Marinette straightened up and said, “Spots on!”

Yo-yoing her way to the roof, she surveyed the courtyard with a critical eye before jumping down. Debris still blocked the exit behind her, faint noises telling her Nino was still clearing some of it away. No sign of Trixx or the other akuma, she thought, forlorn.

“Looking for someone?”

It wasn’t Trixx’s voice.

Ladybug turned slowly, seeing Rena Rouge, her attire tinted purple, smiling at her from across the courtyard. One foot rested on the prone form of the akuma, which Rena nudged aside with a snort of disdain. “Oh, him,” she laughed. “We were in the middle of a fight when out of the blue he just fell unconscious. I suppose I have you to thank for that.”

She sounded like herself, but the delivery and tone was all Trixx.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment,” Rena continued, rolling her shoulders. Her eyes were bright with anticipation. “Just you and me, no annoying alley cat backing you up.”

“It doesn’t have to be this way, Trixx,” Ladybug said. “Let Alya go. We can talk about this.”

Anger briefly contorted Rena’s face before smoothing back out. “You had so many chances before to talk, Ladybug. And you wasted each one. Unless you want to talk about handing your Miraculous over, that is.”

“Why?” It burst out before she could stop herself. “Why are you so intent on taking it? What are you possibly going to do with it?”

“Uh-uh. You think I’m going to continue my monologue so you can buy more time?” Rena was in motion, swinging her flute out in a quick slashing motion.

Ladybug barely had time to block it by spinning her yo-yo, wishing she had a weapon better suited for close combat. She leapt back to gain some space, hurling her yo-yo out in an attempt to ensnare the pursuing Rena. Her quarry dodged with contemptuous ease, lashing out too fast to properly defend against.

The blow to her forearm had her gasping, almost dropping her yo-yo in shock. Rena was relentless, taking advantage of the proximity to rain non-stop strikes, many of which landed. It wasn’t only close quarter combat causing Ladybug to falter, but also the fact she would be hurting Alya if she really fought back.

Distracted by her thoughts, she didn’t catch herself in time to stop a hit that sent her to the floor, Rena pouncing to pin her down with startling strength. One hand reached towards her ears, Rena’s face inches from her own sporting Trixx’s fox sly smile.

“Something wrong, Ladybug? Can’t bring yourself to hurt your friend?” Trixx, tauntingly. “She’s on my side now. Willingly. She always loved being Rena Rouge, but it was always on your terms.”

Ladybug shoved back, barely keeping grasping fingers from snatching her earrings. She wanted to answer Trixx, refute his words, and yet she knew he wasn’t completely wrong. Alya’s delight in being able to fight alongside her idol and Chat had made taking the Miraculous back harder each time.

She wondered if Trixx had chosen to use Rena’s form to throw her off, banking on her reluctance to get the upper hand. Chat’s always been the better fighter, but I’m on my own here. No more holding back.

Drawing one leg inwards, Ladybug feigned struggling against the pin to position her foot in the right spot without Rena cluing in to her intentions. She pushed her foot into Rena’s abdomen, tilting backwards slightly to launch the fox heroine off with the momentum.

Rena let out a frustrated noise that sounded like a mix between a shriek and a growl, beelining for Ladybug with flute in hand the second her feet touched the floor. She swung up and out of the way using her yo-yo, perching on the edge of the second-floor railing.

Now was a good time to try her Lucky Charm. Uncertainty stayed her hand; there was a lot at risk. And not every Lucky Charm was straightforward. She recalled the one that had sent her to Master Fu, realizing later it had meant Wayzz instead. The turtle kwami’s voice echoed through her mind, the memory rising up in shining clarity.

_‘Trixx is not going to be an easy opponent, but there’s also one crucial thing to remember - he’s possessed your friend. She’s still in there.’_

There was no more time for thinking as Rena came bounding up to meet her. Ladybug sidestepped in the nick of time, wincing at the noise the flute made as it struck the railing. She quickly dropped back down, mind and heart both racing. Taking the flute out of the equation would make everything much easier... if she could figure out how.

“What’s the matter, Trixx? Not enough power to try using Illusion on me?” she called out in a burst of inspiration. “Figures, you finally get your showdown with me and your akuma battery has run dry.”

Rena’s response was another growl as she dropped down as well. “I used a lot to ferret you out of hiding like the annoying insect you are.”

“I’m here now,” Ladybug said, holding her arms out wide. “You bragged so much about your powers before - show me what you’ve really got.”

Trixx had been a wily opponent up until now. She didn’t expect goading him to work, but he’d also spent several days expending his power to maintain his Adrien illusion, as well as picking fights with her and other akumas. And while his reserves of strength were likely vast, they weren’t infinite. If he wanted to make the most of his last shot at defeating her, maybe desperation would win over logic.

When Rena lifted the flute to play it, Ladybug was still shocked her ploy had worked. Now!

Lightning reflexes kicked in as she whipped her yo-yo out, the string wrapping tightly around Rena’s upper body, pinning her arms. “So you tricked me,” Rena said scornfully as Ladybug walked over. “You can’t break the Miraculous on your own.”

“I don’t care,” Ladybug replied. “Alya.”

Those furious purple eyes flashed. “No.”

“I know I’ve hurt you, even if I didn’t intend to. All I wanted was to keep the Miraculous, and you, safe from Hawk Moth, not once thinking about how it might look when I keep trusting you with it, only to take it back when your role is over. It wasn’t my call on that, but it is my fault for not noticing what it’s been doing to you.”

Master Fu couldn’t be blamed for only wanting to keep the Miraculous safe. Alya, however, had proven trustworthy several times over, and blame landed solely at her own feet for not broaching the topic with the Guardian before now.

“You don’t have to forgive me, Alya. Not this instant. But I need you to come back to me... no. Come back to everyone who loves and misses you, myself included. Who else is going to run the best Ladybug blog in all of Paris? You’re so dedicated to it, and me, and that drive is why I knew I could turn to you when Chat and I needed help. You’re irreplaceable.”

The anger in Rena’s eyes had slowly receded, turning contemplative instead. Ladybug wondered if she was fighting to gain control back from Trixx, or simply coming to an understanding with the kwami. She took a breath and continued on.

“I need to purify the Miraculous,” she said. “And yes, that means taking it away from you again. I just don’t want to lose you or Trixx to Hawk Moth’s influence.”

Rena looked down for an instant, face scrunching up, but when she lifted her head again, her eyes had shifted from purple back to a familiar hazel. “Trust you, Ladybug,” she said in a shaky voice, sounding more like herself. “Do what you need to.”

Relief, so powerful and consuming, made her pause to bow her head, fighting back joyful tears. She lifted the pendant off, watching Rena transform back into Alya in a fissure of light. Her best friend stumbled slightly, Ladybug catching her before she could fall over and eased her down to the floor.

She looked at the Fox Miraculous, only now realizing she didn’t have the foggiest notion of how to break it. Using Lucky Charm produced a small ring, nearly identical to the one Chat wore. But...

“Need a hand?”

Turning to see Chat standing just behind her was icing on the cake. If he hadn’t been grasping his right arm with a pained expression, she would have thrown herself at him and smooched him without mercy. Instead, Ladybug contented herself with striding over to embrace him with a gentle hug and peck on the cheek before stepping back to flick his nose.

“Me-owch! I guess I don’t need to ask what that was for,” he said ruefully.

“No,” replied Ladybug. “And it makes me hate what I need to ask of you.”

“Gotta use it one more time, huh?” Chat guessed, gazing at the pendant in her gasp, and the ring copy in the other. “I have enough strength for that, bugaboo.”

The moment was interrupted by an exclamation, and someone rushing by - Nino. He dropped to his knees next to a still dazed Alya to draw her into a tight hug. "Are you all right?" he asked, softly, sounding on the verge of tears.

"I will be," Alya replied, smiling up at him through her fatigue. "Take me home."

Nino's answering look was tender, as was his help lifting Alya to her feet. "I can't say thank you enough, dude and dudette," he said to them. "Well, I could and want to, but you're probably on a time limit huh?"

Her earrings had conveniently beeped, a reminder to not dawdle. "You can pass any message on through Alya. She'll make sure I get it," Ladybug said, winking at her best friend. Alya grinned back, leaning into Nino as the pair headed towards the exit, leaving her and Chat to finish cleaning up.

It hurt to watch him withhold a hiss of pain through clenched teeth as he lifted his right arm, invoking Cataclysm. Only a small cloud of dark energy surrounded his claws, a visible sign of his severely weakened state, but even one claw-tipped finger was enough to shatter the Miraculous, finally freeing the akuma within for her to quickly purify.

The akumatized man, still down, was next, the akuma in his police badge located and purified shortly after.

Ladybug looked at Chat, nearly weak-need in relief that this ordeal was finally coming to a close. “I hope it isn’t too long before I can see you again,” she said with a pang of sadness. His kwami would need time to recover, and himself as well, after being stuck in this state for so long. “But this time listen to me, and get that rest you desperately need.”

“A nice long cat-nap sounds real good right about now,” Chat agreed. “I’ll be back in action before you know it.” His smile faded slightly. “Can I ask you for one last favour, my lady?”

“Anything, chaton.”

“Make sure Marinette’s okay. Nino told me she called you, and she’s been through a lot tonight. But I don’t have enough time to tell her all the things I want to,” he said, forlorn.

She rested a hand on his good shoulder. “You got it.” _I wish I could thank you properly, my knight in shining armor... and cat ears._

**_“Miraculous Ladybug!”_ **

Her power filled the room, sweeping over the akumatized man before reaching them, restoring the Miraculous and swarming over Chat. Some of it flew out the entryway being repaired, likely towards the Trocadéro; it had sustained some damage during Chat’s fight with Trixx all those nights ago.

Simultaneous beeps issued from both of their Miraculous, Chat looking down at his ring in delight. “Guess this is farewell for now. But not fur-ever,” he said with a cheeky grin. “Stay safe for me too, bugaboo.”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I need - a vacation from your puns,” Ladybug laughed.

“You’ll be missing them soon enough... but not nearly as much as you’ll miss me,” Chat retorted before he darted over, a fast, affectionate kiss administered to her cheek. He was gone the next second, vaulting out of sight with a joyful whoop. Ladybug shook her head, still smiling.

Everything truly going back to normal would be slow, especially the conversation she needed to have with Master Fu. She made her way to the exit, opening the door, only to step back as a dog eagerly scampered in. Radar stopped next to the formerly akumatized man as he sat up, tail wagging at mach speed in happiness while he rained affectionate licks upon the laughing officer.

She slipped out before he noticed her, scarcely making it on to her balcony before the transformation wore off. Tikki rested on her shoulder as she snuck back into her room, silent the whole time, but Marinette knew she was just as relieved that they’d succeeded.

* * *

 

Gabriel stood silently his secret lair, drenched mostly in darkness beyond the swathe of light extending out from the doorway. Nooroo was shivering in his palm; a side effect of how much power he’d been forced to use over several days. He felt no pity for the pixie-like creature.

What he felt most strongly was disappointment.

He’d come to close to getting one of the elusive Miraculous, even if it was not of the two he most desired, only to fail when it really mattered. When both Seeker and Kitsune had finally faded from his senses, it would have surprised no one if Gabriel had been seething with rage. Instead, he’d felt numb, hollow even.

Staring into the darkness, Gabriel clenched his free hand. This was a significant setback, especially with Nooroo requiring time to recharge his power, but he refused to let it deter him. He just had to be patient in plotting the defeat of the two superheroes.

_There will be a day where I get my revenge for the times you brats have thwarted me from my ultimate goal. And I will enjoy every moment of your downfall._

Gabriel turned and left, the door sealing shut with a quiet snick.

* * *

 

Early Sunday afternoon saw Marinette and Tikki paying a visit to Master Fu’s parlour, the Guardian going through the motions to pour them both cups of tea before she told him everything that had happened the previous evening.

“I am glad you and Chat Noir made it through all of that,” he said when she finished. “And that his transformation troubles are no more. What of the Fox Miraculous, and Trixx?”

She set her cup down to reach into one pocket, handing over the box containing the pendant. “Both back to normal, master. I’m sorry I let things get so out of hand,” she said, gazing at the floor. “Trixx wouldn’t have been corrupted if I’d noticed how unhappy he and Alya were much sooner.”

Master Fu snorted softly. “We could go in circles placing blame, but it matters not, Marinette. What happened was just one small link in a chain of events neither of us foresaw. Do not let this trouble you for long.”

“You put it right in the end, Marinette,” Tikki piped up. “You saved Alya, and kept a Miraculous from falling into Hawk Moth’s hands. That’s something to be happy about!”

“That’s true,” Marinette mused, smiling at her kwami, who hovered up to happily nuzzle her cheek.

“Indeed. Hawk Moth will be sore about this for quite some time,” Fu said thoughtfully, sipping his tea. “In any instance, you’ve likely bought a short reprieve, which is all the better for allowing Chat Noir to recover more quickly to rejoin you.”

_I hope you’re doing well, wherever you are, kitty._ She was going to miss those nights out on her balcony with him, full of laughter and memories to cherish. He had his normal life to get back to, and patrols otherwise; not much time for him to stop by like he had while stuck.

When she emerged from her thoughts, it was to Fu studying her face with eyes suddenly gone shrewd. “If I'm not mistaken, I sense you have something else you’d like to ask. Go ahead.”

Sharing a look with Tikki, Marinette took a deep breath. “Well, I was thinking...”

* * *

 

“Seriously!?”

Alya was gaping behind the hand she’d covered her mouth with.

“Yes, seriously,” Ladybug laughed.

The auburn-haired girl touched the box reverently, her smile shaky when she looked back up at the superhero in her room. “I... I can’t believe it,” she said, choked up. “Like, I’m actually allowed to keep it?”

“I had a long talk with my, uh... boss,” said Ladybug. “We both think it’s best, for Trixx’s sake, and yours. Besides, you’ve long since proven I can trust you, recent events aside. As long as you don’t breathe a word of this to anyone, or post about it on the LadyBlog.”

Alya pantomimed zipping her lips. “Oh no, I won’t tell a soul,” she promised. “But am I allowed to post about how totally awesome it is that Ladybug has a new, wicked cool full-time partner to help her kick butt? I won’t mention that she’s me, of course.”

“If you’re prepared for Chat Noir to be jealous,” Ladybug said with a giggle. “He thinks of himself as my sole designated butt-kicker; you’ll be competing for the role.”

She left Alya talking with Trixx, heart feeling loads lighter. The fox kwami had admitted he’d sought her Miraculous only to keep her from being Ladybug so that she couldn’t take him away from Alya again. It wasn’t truly malicious, only stemming from a loneliness that even being among other kwamis couldn’t quite staunch. _‘I miss being out in the world, helping the humans. Alya’s the first person in a long time that I’ve taken such a shine to.’_

Fu required little persuading upon hearing that confession to entrust Alya with the Miraculous, under strict instructions regarding secrecy, the same she had agreed to when she’d become Ladybug. _‘And as long as they’re both happy - that is truly what matters.’_

* * *

 

Collège the next day was a whirlwind of emotion with Alya’s return heavily celebrated by the class. Chloé, to Marinette’s surprise, didn’t have anything snarky to say, though she did sniff in disapproval at the students clustering around the desks. So delighted to have her best friend back, Marinette forgot to be her usual nervous self when Adrien turned around to grin at her past their peers, returning it easily.

He looked good, she thought happily. Tired around the eyes, but his sunny disposition was back in full force. If he’d suffered any ill effects from whatever Trixx had done to borrow his form, it wasn't immediately visible.

It was a nice, normal day she could fully appreciate with all that stress lifted from her shoulders. Fu’s prediction was apt, as well - no akuma appeared as the day progressed, even well into evening. Marinette was determined to enjoy the peace while it lasted, opting to take the night off of patrolling to hang out with Alya and Nino.

She emerged from her room onto her balcony two days later, enjoying a mug of hot cocoa her father had thoughtfully made. The night air was fresh and serene, memories stirring as she looked up at the star-studded sky. It was too soon, but she couldn’t help it - she just missed him. His crooked smile, silly jokes and puns, his generous heart; all of it.

It’s not forever, Marinette scolded herself, scowling.

“Who’s gone and put _that_ look on your pretty face?”

She dropped her mug.

Chat caught it with cat quickness, carefully setting it down. “I thought...” Marinette trailed off, wondering briefly if he was merely a figment of her imagination. The hand that touched her shoulder, drawing her close was definitely real, though. “Ladybug said you’d be away for a while.”

“I thought I would be too,” he replied with that charming crooked smile. “Turns out I didn’t expect how much I’d miss you.”

Oh god. She was turning to mush. Sweet, totally sappy mush.

“Promise not to tattle to Ladybug?” Chat said with his best innocent look.

She shook her head, smiling despite herself. “Promise. By the way, Chat - thank you for saving me.”

“Always,” he said softly, tugging her into a hug. She gladly returned it, eyes closing to savour the moment. They stood like that for some time, neither willing to be the first to step away. But eventually he stirred under her hands, breaking the companionable silence. “I have a question I wanted to ask you. One that’s been nagging me these past few days.”

Curiosity piqued, Marinette shifted to look up at him. “Ask.”

“I don’t remember much after I used my Cataclysm to stop that akuma,” Chat admitted. “Drifted in and out of consciousness, so my memory’s a bit fuzzy. But I remember hearing your voice... and I swear I heard you say ‘ _chaton_ ’. Am I wrong?”

Marinette felt the world tilt askew just a fraction. She had used her nickname for him as Ladybug in the heat of the moment when her emotions had been in turmoil, thinking nothing of it. “You probably misheard me,” Marinette suggested. "All I said was your name."

“Maybe,” he said, not looking convinced. Then his face lit up with an impish expression. “If you want to call me that, meow-ever, I won’t complain.”

“Back to the puns so soon, huh?” she mock-sighed. “I can’t believe I actually missed them.”

Chat appeared utterly delighted hearing this. “Really?” he asked, so cutely endearing that she couldn’t say no, even if she’d wanted to.

“Somehow,” Marinette said. “You made them grow on me. Like a fungus.”

“Well, I am a--”

“Don’t you _dare_ finish that pun.”

They both laughed in spite of her command, trailing off when her mother’s voice issued out from the skylight, beckoning her in for the night. “Drat,” she murmured, reluctantly detaching herself from his embrace.

“It is a school night.”

“Yeah, but it still stinks,” she said. “You’ll be busy with patrols or akumas.”

“Purrhaps. Doesn’t mean I can’t drop by to spend a few minutes with one of my favourite people,” Chat said, smile warm and gaze full of open affection that made her feel all light and floaty. The distance between them closed as he drew her into a sweet, lingering kiss that scattered all rational thoughts.

“Marinette! Don’t make me ask again!”

“That’s my cue,” Chat chuckled, swinging himself up onto the railing after they’d broken apart. He glanced back at her, profile gilded in moonlight. “Goodnight, my lady.”

Marinette stood at the railing, watching him as he dashed away into the night. “My lady?” she repeated. Not ‘princess’, his usual endearment. It made her wonder if he’d bought her excuse for calling him _chaton_.

_Or maybe I’m reading too much into it. There’s no way he thinks I’m Ladybug..._

Marinette sighed, smiling at her silliness before she headed down into her room, excited to see what tomorrow would bring. Hopefully a day that ended with a certain green-eyed cat.

**Fin.**

* * *

 

**Author's Note** : At last, we come to the end! I must start this note off with an apology for keeping you all waiting. Life happens, and so writing this took longer than expected, especially when I stalled on how to progress certain scenes. I wanted to make sure to tie things up as best as I could, which added even more time.

However, I am happy to have seen this through to the end. When I first planned it out, I knew how I wanted it to end, and the rest of the story formed as I kept writing. It's thanks to everyone who has read it, given kudos, taken time to comment or subscribe that really kept me going. I super appreciate every single one of you, and I can only hope you enjoyed reading this up until now. Thank you very, very much!

I may write other stories eventually, probably one-shots, if my ideas haven't been covered by other phenomenally talented writers here :) Once again, thank you for reading, and keep on being Miraculous <3

**Author's Note:**

> I'm just going to say right now - I planned on waiting for the Queen's Battle trilogy arc to see how a certain akumatization occurred, but since the episode dates were moved to late August... well, figured I'd forge my own path with Trixx here.
> 
> There's a general goal in mind for how I want this fic to play out, and there will be several chapters, but I don't know how many as of time of posting. Bear with me, it's been a looooooong time since I've done anything more than one-shots.
> 
> As for relationships... it's on the tin. A little more indulgence in Marichat, though.
> 
> This can sort of be considered a continuation of the other fanfic I posted, Ordinary Heroes, since I slipped a reference to events that occurred in that. Nothing major, so one doesn't have to read that story as a prelude to this.


End file.
